A Love on the Sidelines
by 4quintessence
Summary: CliffxFayt. Takes place on the sidelines, my part didn't make it into the game! A sweeping and lighthearted love and adventure story that involves all the other game characters, a dash of drama and a sprinkle of suspense. Fayt crossdresses for a misson, lots of laughs with Albel, spectacular settings and symbologies, and Greeton kidnaps Cliff! Things become darker near the end.
1. Chapter 1: The Dream

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

**Editing Notes: _Thanks to all my marvelous readers, as of June 2008 this story has reached a milestone 3000 hits!!  
_THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN REWRITTEN AND EXPANDED! It wasn't up to snuff like my later ones. FYI, there is AlbelxFayt in Chapter 9, more Albel in Chapter 12 & 18, MariaxFayt in Chapter 8 & more Maria in 10, and CliffxAlbel in Chapter 15. The lemons are Chapters 4, 6, 12, and 16. Sophia and Nel star in 17, Mirage in 15; Adray, Peppita, Roger in 12. Special guest in 17. I'm proudest of 7 and 14. From 14 on it gets more serious in tone.**

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt (with a little AlbelxFayt)

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Hopefully the first of many, this chapter starts in Surferio with someone in Fayt's bed and moves on to the Mosel Dunes where the real, dirty fun begins (we all remember that area with the timer). I've tried to make it realistic enough that it could have been included in the game on the sidelines. More juicy sexual stuff, humour in later chapters. This is my first fanfiction ever.

Note: The others in the story don't yet know about Cliff and Fayt's relationship.

**Chapter 1 (Jazzed Up Collector's Edition):**

Looking through clouded eyes, Fayt found himself in some sort of dim laboratory, his father lying as still as a corpse on a cold metal table in front of him. Lights were flickering on the computer displays that covered the walls like a swarm of frenzied fireflies and only one lamp was on in the room, the one brightening the experimenting counter. Fayt involuntarily took a syringe from a desk beside him and gingerly inserted it into his dad's left forearm, emptying the contents into his bloodstream. Suddenly, as if through magic, Robert's hair started to shimmer like the surface of the ocean on a moonlit night. A brilliant blue began to spread across his hair, smothering and suffocating the natural brown until all was seditious sapphire.

The scene started to fade as a veil fell across his vision. Off in the distance he heard a high-pitched voice…"Whaaaat do we dooo noooow?" It was Farleen. The sound made him cringe and it felt as though his ears would bleed, but luckily the shriek gradually dissolved and he was left in a lush grassy field on a seemingly starry night. There was someone breathing warm and sensuous gusts onto the back of his neck. Strong arms fell over his shoulders as he was squeezed so close he could feel the other's heart pound into his back. _Cliff? _Fayt could tell by his touch. He turned his head slightly and saw wings of radiant white encircling him and leaving him feeling so protected, so **safe**. _Since when does Cliff have wings? Well, I guess he __**is**__ my guardian angel. _Without warning he was once again jolted from the setting and he found himself gradually opening his eyes from this bizarre dream.

He was in the Lost City of Surferio lying comfortably in the 'inn'. It was more like one of the resident's houses. And boy did that man talk. Fayt remembered story after story the man had told long into the night — such gripping tales of gardening and gregarious guests. But their host wasn't the only thing keeping Fayt from getting a good night's sleep. The blue haired young man noticed that at some point in the night Cliff had left the bed beside him, opened the curtain between them, and climbed right into his own bed. Not that this was a problem.

Fayt could see his lover sleeping soundly, mouth partially open, and he quietly moved his head from his pillow and rested it on Cliff's toned chest. The blond's heavy breathing caused Fayt's head to gently bob up and down and Fayt imagined he was out in a boat in the ocean rolling over mellow waves under a midday sun. He drifted in and out of sleep for the rest of the short time before dawn.

--

Once the group had finished their morning hygiene routines (except for Albel, he liked to be dirty), they set out together for the Mosel Dunes. After Mirage had persuaded a man at the entranceway to sell them a map of the area — she's good at that sort of thing — they stepped out into the scorching sun.

"You'd better not collapse in this heat, worm," Albel hissed to Fayt through the rippling waves that surrounded them. In reality, he didn't really care, he just wanted to break the long silence that had taken hold. "I won't be carrying you across the desert."

"My Fayty will be just fine, won't you?" Sophia replied cheerfully, letting the words dance off her tongue. She gazed at her friend with a tilted smile and admiring eyes. The cerulean haired boy just nodded in response.

"Albel," Maria spoke with a sigh, "you do remember that Fayt was the one who dealt the finishing blow when they defeated you, right? He's a lot stronger than he appears, I thought you would have guessed that by now," she stated, faced him with her hands on her hips trying unsuccessfully to look serious.

"Quiet you blue haired grub!" he shot back menacingly, his temper easily flaring in the unbearable heat. Albel was used to his chilly hometown, not this sandy mess.

"It's a good thing we left Peppita and Roger behind," Nel whispered to Cliff and Mirage. "Otherwise we would have to deal with **three **difficult people."

"Good point," Cliff laughed while stretching with his hands behind his head.

Mirage glanced up from the map with a grin on her face. "Guys, aren't you going to let Fayt get a word in?"

Fayt wasn't even listening. His mind was buzzing as usual, presently pondering how best to conquer the unforgiving desert ahead to get to the Ancient Ruins. He nonchalantly started off on his own, Sophia tagging along close behind. The rest of the group followed, Maria and Albel still squabbling with each other.

Fayt had his mind set on getting to a treasure chest he saw in the distance. As the sweat starting pouring from **all** his pores and his throat became dry and coarse, he finally approached the box and found some blueberries inside. _Wonderful_, he thought. _That was totally worth it_.

Meanwhile, the rest of the crew was discussing something rather curious to get their minds off the harsh conditions they found themselves in.

"That's right, ya heard me. Where's the craziest place you've ever done 'it' with a past boyfriend or girlfriend?" Cliff asked with a ridiculous smile plastered across his face. The others just frowned at him thinking he was delirious from the sun. "No, I'm serious. This is a bonding experience. We need to learn more about each other...and that includes the intimate stuff! Don't be shy! Speak up!" He pointed to the girl closest to him, widened his eyes and shook his head, and then continued on to the next one. "Okay we'll skip you Sophia...how about you Maria?"

"What do you mean by 'it'?" Sophia mumbled innocently, tightening her grip on her staff. The following words barely squeaked out: "Holding hands?"

No one heard her so Maria spoke up. "God Cliff, your idea of bonding is exceedingly peculiar and rather gross. Nonetheless, I'd have to say...in a battle simulator."

Fayt was leading the way a few metres ahead of the group — just enough not to be picked out by Cliff but close enough to hear the conversation. _A woman after my heart_, he mused, chuckling to himself.

"Hmmm, that's...exotic," Mirage responded, the rest of them unsure whether she was being sarcastic or not. "Yes, but what about you Cliff?"

"Well, actually the wackiest place I've ever done it is...in my parent's bed."

"**EWWW!!**" everyone else cried instantaneously. Sophia still wasn't following.

"I think my opinion of you just fell through the floor," Nel quipped.

"W-h-a-t? Mine was too small!" he asserted rather unsuccessfully. Cliff was having a lot of fun anyhow and he gestured to Mirage next.

"Let's see now," she said, mindlessly tapping a finger on her neck as she walked. "There was this time when we did it behind some bushes in a park on Klaus. And there was a basketball game going on in the court on the other side…"

There were loud exhales all round and impressed expressions radiating from Cliff, Maria, and Nel.

"Now that's brave, eh! Classic Mirage. Can ya beat that, Nel?" Cliff asked as he turned in her direction.

"You aren't getting anything out of me, Cliff. At least not on this subject. Although I do enjoy hearing other people's stories…"

He wasn't going to press her so he turned to hesitantly point to Albel who had been mostly quiet for the whole conversation. Albel peeled his glare from Fayt, who was walking much farther ahead now so he couldn't hear anymore. Mr. Nox flexed his artificial arm upwards and stared at it as he spoke calmly: "Hmph, this is a game I can play. Yes, the craziest place...it would have to be that time we fucked in a dragon's den and then I fed them to the dragon after we were done."

**Absolute silence**. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. The crew gaped at Albel in astonishment and disgust as he stood with a blank expression, like he had said nothing out of the ordinary. Something in Sophia's mind clicked and she turned as white as snow before fluttering off towards Fayt while mentally assuring herself that she was scarred for life.

Albel started walking again and as he passed by the rest of them he shook his head and uttered: "Gullible fools. It was what you would call a joke...well at least the feeding the dragon part."

Maria brought the hand down from her mouth as Cliff spoke with a tone of regret: "Poor Sophia, now we've gone and corrupted her."

Up ahead Fayt noticed a sand creature slithering towards them out of the corner of his eye.

"It's about time! Leave him to me!" Cliff yelled as he lumbered towards the monster after hearing the bluenette's shout.

The big blond crushed the creature with his Aerial Assault move, but it was still alive, and in critical condition. Nel ignored Cliff's command and took a swipe at it with her daggers while Fayt decided to use an ice symbology. Clenching his hand somewhat the ice started to form. He was actually a little bored at the moment so he decided that instead of just throwing it right away he would shape it into a lethal spike. The ice started elongating to a razor sharp point and Fayt finally tossed it at the monster and it readily pierced right through its outer frame, freezing half the animal, and slaughtering it upon impact.

"Nice one, kid" Cliff offered, gazing a little longer than the others at Fayt's sexy green eyes.

Fayt simply nodded, feeling a little light-headed from the sun.

"You know, we should probably forget the treasure boxes for now Fayt and get them on the way back," Maria stated authoritatively while slipping her unused gun back into its case. "Otherwise we are gonna get roasted alive out here."

"I think we're okay," Fayt responded. "Let's head towards that oasis over there and get the treasure on the way."

"Wimp," Albel snapped at Maria as he passed her.

Maria's face turned an even redder shade than what the heat had already given her. She stomped off ahead in the direction of the oasis, cursing under her breath.

"Albel be nice. What did she ever do to you?" Fayt asked rhetorically, raising an eyebrow.

The former brigade captain momentarily thought of replying: _Well there was that one time in the battle simulator…_

They all started off again, Fayt trailing along behind this time. The desert ahead starting getting blurry similar to static on a TV screen and his head began to spin like he was caught in a lettuce dryer. It was all too much. Lack of sleep probably factored into it. Nevertheless he collapsed hard onto the sand by a jagged rock, the desert grains mixing in with his clumpy hair.

--

He slowly came to a minute later, carefully opening one eye and then the other, noticing someone standing over him. As the blur came into focus he made out that it was Cliff looking down at him. Fayt couldn't help but notice the man's long, attractive legs from his viewpoint.

"Fayt ya took a hard fall there," the blond said, stating the obvious. He knelt down to feel the younger man's forehead.

"I'm carryin' ya to the oasis up ahead so you can cool down and get a good drink, no arguing 'kay?"

Fayt was too tired to protest anyway. Cliff scooped up his lover, holding him like a bride who had drunk one too many, and set off towards the water hole. He plopped the young man into the shallows at the oasis's edge under the shade of a small palm tree. Fayt felt the tender touch of the cool, refreshing water on his legs and immediately splashed some of it onto his face. Cliff sat down beside him, one leg bent and the other stretched out, and shoved his water bottle into Fayt's right hand.

"Drink up, kid. Ya won't want 'Bel to see me carryin' ya the rest of the way," Cliff snickered in his classic deep tone.

"Why, would he be jealous?"

"You bet! I've seen him eyeing ya a lot lately. He's probably still wonderin' how someone so young could be leading _him_, Mr. Captain of the Brigade, into battle," Cliff joked.

Smiling weakly, Fayt took a swig from the water bottle. The water poured around his parched mouth and down his throat, giving them life once again and helping him feel a little less dazed. The others had gone on ahead at Cliff's bidding and were relaxing at the next oasis, just specks in the distance. Nel and Albel were heading out towards another treasure box.

_Funny. I thought that Albel might be asexual. He really doesn't seem interested in anyone, apart from pissing them off in any way he can, of course. No, that's probably wrong. Everyone has sexual attractions, its only natural. _Fayt tended to disbelieve that anyone could be asexual. He had recently learned what the word meant back on Earth and had pondered it along with his many other thoughts on this journey. Seeing his eyes glazed over, Cliff wondered what was bothering him.

"Fayt, tell me what's on yer mind. You're worryin' me."

Fayt knew Cliff got worried easily, he was so protective of him. He wouldn't let him go anywhere alone, ever since Cliff had saved him (_my saviour_) — but really kidnapped him — from the dungeons of Vanguard III.

Since sharing his current thought about Albel might sound just a little weird, young Leingod came up with a good comeback and ran with it.

"I'm just thinking about when we first fell in love," the young man said dreamily as he hoisted himself out of the water and sat beside Cliff, his legs comfortably stretched out over the blond's own. He slowly outstretched a hand and caressed a finger along, what he thought was, the **intriguing** birthmark on the other's neck.

"Right now? When you're almost passin' out from the heat? Huh. That must have been why I fell for ya...so unpredictable." Cliff ruffled up the blue hair sending little droplets of sweat in all directions.

Fayt felt the blond's warm body urging him forwards so he shifted himself to sit right in Cliff's lap, one ear against his beating chest, moist pants dripping down over his man. Being embraced by those muscular arms was a wonderful feeling: It was like lying on a fluffy cloud on a lazy day and being wrapped up in its pillowy softness. And once you got in, it was very difficult to get out. Not that he wanted to at that moment.

Fayt just wanted to enjoy the present, to stop thinking all the time. It just caused him to overanalyze and get worried when he shouldn't. Just as he was thinking about thinking, Cliff raised one arm and gently turned the blue guy's head upwards towards his lips. Fayt snapped out of it and immediately closed his eyes as his heart raced like always. The feeling of Cliff's supple lips over his own took him away from the surrounding heat as they kissed passionately, noses rubbing against one another. After what seemed like an eternity Fayt pulled away a bit, savouring the moment, but Cliff came right back and starting nibbling playfully on his bottom lip. _He bit my lip and drank my war, from years before… _(Song by AFI, Love Like Winter).

They finally parted and set out to meet the others, both feeling quite rejuvenated.

As they walked side by side, Fayt glanced up at Cliff with playful eyes and cheeks raised from smiling. "Ummm, Cliff? When we visit your home on Klaus, let's not sleep in your parent's bed."

The blond laughed heartily as he scratched the back of his head. "Ya heard that? Ahh, you don't need to worry about that…"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, its about my parents. I'll tell ya about it sometime."

_Oh ya, I lost my train of thought. What it was like when we first fell in love..._

**TO BE CONTINUED!**

(A/N: So what do you think of the rewrite? I added that whole scene with the, ahem, crazy places. This story is finally complete. 4quintessence out!)


	2. Chapter 2: I'm In Love With You

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence (William)

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt

Rating: PG-13

Summary: I lied. I'm not getting into the lemony stuff until the next chapter. I decided to first write (realistically, hopefully) about Cliff dealing with Fayt's admiration for him. And Fayt remembering when he came to realize how he really loved the guy. All the fanfiction I've read just assumes that they love each other, but I think we need to deal with Cliff's straightness which seems fairly clear from the game. It's pretty obvious though that Fayt isn't straight :D Get ready for the big reveal.

Note: This chapter is all flashback. Italics are thoughts from either Fayt or Cliff, as I cycle between the two.

**Chapter 2:**

_When we first fell in love…_

_There was something about Cliff that made me feel like no other person had. With him by my side I could conquer anything. Maybe it was his well-defined body or his ridiculously sexy clothes that were just a little too tight over those washboard abs. It was the unique tattoo-like mark on his neck, those gorgeous burly arms, that big blonde hair and that chiselled face. But even more importantly, it really was his loveable personality that sealed the package. _

Fayt reminisced back to when he first met Cliff as they made their way through the Mosel Ruins. It had started with Mr. Fittir literally saving his life after he crash landed on that underdeveloped planet. He couldn't have wished for a better rescuer. From the beginning, Cliff made Fayt feel important and much less lonely, no longer just another face in the crowd. Although he was mentally strong, the bluenette had always felt invisible back home — his parents were off in their own little world as renowned scientists and he was left to kill time playing battle simulation games and avoiding schoolwork. Having famous parents left him with little motivation in life as everything was already served to him on a silver platter and their love tended to be displayed through buying things for him rather than actually spending time with their son.

Yes, he had always had Sophia. _Oh man could she be annoying at times_. _Best taken in small doses_. She was a great companion but their taste in hobbies tended to clash as she liked cooking, shopping, and outdoor activities. At one time he had thought he loved Sophia but he eventually realized they were more like brother and sister — Sophia even calling his dad 'Uncle Robert' and his mom 'Auntie Ryoko'. It was a special friendship, but it wasn't romantic love. Besides, after going through puberty, Fayt found his eyes wandering towards some of the boys in his college classes.

And now as Fayt learned new and frightening things about his existence from Maria, he felt even more alone, if that was possible. The weight of the universe was on _his_ genetically-altered shoulders, all those souls, and Cliff was the only one who made it all bearable.

He had first felt a real connection with this man, ironically, when they spent most of the flight from Vanguard III bickering like a married couple in the cockpit of the Diplo shuttle, Mirage silently shaking her head in a mixture of amusement and disgust. The connection had deepened when they were locked in the damp, gloomy dungeons of Airyglyph since they had plenty of time to gaze into each others eyes, enchanting emerald to smoldering sapphire, as they suffered through it together, chatting to pass the time. Cliff had solemnly promised to protect him from harm which was a wonderful feeling after what had happened. Fayt longed for someone older, and wiser (HA!) to guide him and help him mature.

Fayt hadn't thought of acting on his troublesome feelings — there was the large age gap, not to mention Cliff was a MAN who bragged about his 'supposed' (Fayt hoped) past girlfriends — until the group had arrived at the trading town of Peterny on Elicoor II. They were finally staying for a while in a town that didn't look like a dump and Fayt couldn't stand it any longer. He had to stop thinking, goddammit, and start **acting**.

It was early evening with only a few blissful crickets shattering the perfect silence of the moonlit night. The others were out getting a bite to eat, but Cliff and Fayt were in their room at the inn going through their supplies and talking about their current predicament on the foreign planet. Both sitting on their respective beds, legs crossed and items in front of them, the blue haired young man finally worked up the courage to change the subject. He could feel his heart beat quicken and the butterflies were out in full force in his stomach, like the annual monarch migration back on Earth.

"Cliff..I need to talk to you about something..that's been bothering me for a while," he said quietly, trying to hide a slight stutter.

"Yo, what's buggin' ya Fayt? I'm here to help," the blond replied, turning to look directly at the other, brawny arms giving a modest shrug.

"Well...I don't know how to put this…" his voice trailed off as he felt his cheeks become uncomfortably warm.

"Kid, you can tell me anything. I may seem coarse at times but it's mostly just an act. How else would I have become the revered leader of Quark?" Cliff grinned, giving his companion a cheerful wink.

Fayt loved some of the dumb things that came out of that Klausian's mouth; it made him laugh, brightening up an otherwise somber mission. He thought of coming back with some joke about knowing who to sleep with but decided against it. He tilted his head down to hide his face with his long azure bangs.

"I...really like you…more than just a friend I mean…" Fayt spoke softly, trying to hint at his feelings.

"Are you saying…?"

He was finally just going to spit it out. "Cliff, **I think I'm in love with you**."

Turning ever so slightly, looking out of the corner of his eyes through lonely strands of hair, Fayt saw his roommate's eyes bulge bigger than he'd ever seen, his mouth drooping like he'd seen a ghost. After sitting in shock from the bluntness of the statement, Cliff finally remembered to breathe again and unconsciously raised one hand to scratch behind his ear.

"Umm...I don't know what to say," he responded truthfully, nervously shifting on the bed. "Y'know I'm straight right?" At least he thought he was. "I mean you're a great kid and all, stubborn sometimes but caring and fun to be around, and you mean a lot to me…" It was Cliff's turn to trail off in thought. Words had left him, gone on vacation, and he decided he needed to take a walk.

"Fayt, I'm glad you're honest with me, but I need to go out for a bit before we continue this conversation." With that he got up and made for the door, pausing briefly to look back and force a sheepish smile. Fayt looked absolutely heartbroken, staring at him with those large pleading eyes, and it made him feel utterly awful.

"Wait...but I've seen you staring at me while I sleep, Cliff. And you never leave my side...I thought..." he called after the Klausian, but his friend had already slipped out of the room and into a brisk evening breeze.

It wasn't his worse case scenario, but it was close enough. The butterflies in Fayt's stomach turned into a throbbing gnawing sensation and he collapsed his head on his shaky hands, sobbing quietly as some pearly light filtered through the room, sparkling like a falling star through each tear that tumbled between his slender fingers. Everything was spinning, even the crickets had ceased their song.

------------------------------------------------

The wind that brushed lovingly past his face and streamed through his golden locks reminded Cliff of when he would sit on a rock by the ocean at home on Klaus III, fresh sea air floating by, and go over his plans of how to stand up to the big bad Federation. It was where he came up with the name 'Quark': he liked to munch on quark cheese out on that boulder, a delicacy imported from Old Europe on Earth. Staring across the ocean gave him inspiration, and he kind of longed for that impossibility right now.

Glancing at the pub across the way, Cliff decided against it. _That would only make things worse_. Instead he wandered down the street towards Peterny's central square under the dim streetlights and through the murmur of the hushed voices of the villagers who where still out and about. Staring down at the cobblestone road below, the blond felt vulnerable — a rarity for a Klausian. He truly felt sick in his stomach and his armpits had become all sweaty, giving off a distinctly Cliff-like musk. His head was racing in circles, thoughts all jumbled together like different coloured paint splattered on a canvas.

_He **loves** me? _If Cliff was confused by Maria's technical jargon (which he almost always was), this was a thousand times worse. _But wait_. _The connection between us must be special if I'm reacting as strongly as this right? _Cliff did admit in his mind that although he had had a few girlfriends in the past, the relationships had never amounted to much of anything — they were sex-filled times that never really went beyond that primitive need.

And Mirage was his partner-in-crime within the Quark organization, a great companion while travelling though the emptiness of space and a formidable fighting colleague, but not someone he had fallen for. They had raised Maria together, but their relationship hadn't deepened through that experience. And while Maria seemed to think from the head, Cliff knew that Fayt thought from the heart, never leaving anyone that he could help out (while still trying to protect the precious UP3), something that the blond may not have always understood, but he respected and admired him for.

"ARRGGHH! I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE!" Cliff suddenly bellowed out loud inadvertently, releasing pent up pressure.

He had just walked past the flower shop in the main square and the girl clerk glanced at him with a thoroughly puzzled face. Cheeks starting to burn, he impulsively decided to purchase a little bouquet, to make the onlooker not think he was **completely** crazy.

_Wait what am I doing? _The thought quickly passed.

Cliff could see Nel across the way enjoying a late meal and not wanting her to see him like this, he spun around and headed back towards the inn. Striding right past the place, he went straight for the pub. He needed something, _anything_, to calm his nerves.

Settling at an empty table with a flavoured beer, Fittir put the flowers down in front of him as he began to feel the bit of alcohol start to soothe his tense demeanor.

_Okay_, he thought. _Let's work this out. _He was trying to rack his memory, searching for clues to his sexuality. He had been attracted to a boy or two in his teens, but he had figured that was something all men went through, and he never acted on it. But now he had Fayt. He had to admit that the kid, _no adult now_, had quickly come to mean a lot to him, and being around him brought newfound happiness to his life. It made him feel young again, actually made him giddy inside. Fayt wasn't just part of his mission anymore, he could never imagine leaving his side, not waking up in the same room as him.

And those **eyes**. Those spellbinding, forest green eyes and that beautiful, slim physique — which he **did** marvel at sometimes while the kid slept — like no other (well maybe except for Albel, but Cliff hated Albel with a passion).

Cliff shook his head. _Fayt is probably weeping all alone at this very moment_, he finally reflected as his mind cleared. _He needs me. It must have been torture for him to bottle up those feelings. Everything Fayt says he puts so much thought into._ The kid had confided in him, and Cliff had been his shoulder (rather chest) to cry on as their adventure progressed. Then it clicked. He was more than just his guardian. Cliff had purposely held back information about the bluenette until Maria arrived because he didn't want to hurt him. He really never stopped thinking about him. The love was mutual. It was unbreakable.

The blond shot up out of his chair, knocking the nearly empty beer glass over. A drop or two landed with a light thud on his left shoe, a passing mouse the only witness. "Fayt…" he almost whispered, heart beginning to skip a few beats. He pounded his right fist into his open left palm, grabbed the flowers off the table, and dashed — like someone who was being chased by a mad grizzly bear — out of the pub.

Narrowly mowing over a bunny selling wares on the street, Cliff rushed to their bedroom door at the inn and slowly turned the icy handle, flowers held tautly behind his back.

_Oh shit. What am I going to say? _Cliff panicked for a split second, and decided to wing it. He felt his ass sweating unpleasantly as it often did when he was nervous (A/N: natural lubricant? hahaha). He didn't care. At last, he swung open the door with force and words began to leave his dried up mouth...until he noticed that the room was completely empty and he was talking to nothing but ivory moonlight, glistening on the salty puddle by Fayt's bed, while tiny dust particles flitted this way and that through its heavenly beam.

Dun dun dun! TO BE CONTINUED.


	3. Chapter 3: The Massage

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt

Rating: **R** for this chapter only - Warning: Yaoi, please don't read if you don't like this, there is a mild sex scene.

Summary: We find out what happened to Fayt after he confessed his love for Cliff. Was he kidnapped? Or did he just run away? How will Cliff respond? The lemonaide begins back in their room as things get steamy and Fayt tries out some wacky foreplay ideas. Cliff then gets things going nicely...until something happens.

Note: This chapter is also all flashback to their first night together. Italics are thoughts or emphasis. Thanks for the review SpectralWings!

**Chapter 3:**

"Oh no!" Cliff cried out, a blue vein bulging in the middle of his forehead. _Where did he go?_

Leaving the empty room he rushed through the inn and out the door, not noticing the single velvety petal that floated lightly to the ground behind him, wondering where Fayt could have gone. Stepping out onto the street, he looked frantically left and right, pondering which way to go. _What if something happened to him? Maybe he was kidnapped! And this time not by me! I shouldn't have left him like that. _Forcing himself to focus, he decided to look by Ameena's house first. It was the only place that came to mind.

Sprinting along, the town turning to a blur through the gathering tide in his eyes, Cliff came to Ameena's street and slowed down, trying to remember which house she lived in. _It's that one there with the flower pot out front...no wait maybe it's that one with the kooky door._ But they were both dark inside, the occupants already in bed. He then heard the faintest whimper from farther down the street — another reason to be thankful for his enhanced Klausian hearing. Wiping a stubborn tear away from the groove beside his nose, Cliff quickly ambled down the cul-de-sac.

There was no one there! Just some barrels, crates, and a well. But the soft sound of sobbing still reached his ears so he moved closer to the crates...and at last found Fayt hiding behind a tall stack of them. He let out a huge sigh of relief, his tense shoulders loosening up. The dark thunderclouds that had amassed in his head broke up as the summer sun shone through once more.

"Fayt! There you are! Are you okay?"

Looking up from his wooden seat, Fayt's eyes were red and a bit swollen, but Cliff could tell he was happy to see him from the way they lit up when they met his own.

"Cliff...I feel so stupid. But I don't know what else to do. I'll understand if you don't want to travel with me anymore," he replied, biting the right side of his lower lip. The blue haired youth just then noticed the trickle of tears in his companion's eyes.

"Fayt don't say such things. I'm here to keep you safe. **I'll always keep you safe**. I've thought about what you said and…" the flushed blond revealed the flowers that were behind his back and handed them awkwardly to the young man. "...I mean I want to be there for you, always. I didn't realize it until now...but I love you too. I've never been...so happy around anyone else."

It was quite the sight to see the big tough Klausian shedding tears. Fayt had wondered if he ever cried. It was also quite the sight to see the bluenette's shock at his friend's confession. Eyes widened in excitement, he finally registered what this meant. "Wha…are you serious?" he mumbled rather loudly. The guy who bragged about attracting the ladies was choosing him? Fireworks of thought went off in his head as an enigmatic warmth spread throughout his body on this breezy evening.

Cliff nodded, unable to stop grinning. "Come 'ere you," he said, helping Fayt stand up on the crate so they were eye to eye and pressing a finger over his mouth. "That's enough talking for now." The blond's jaw muscles tensed and Fayt knew what was coming next as he leaned in closer. He had daydreamed of doing this for a long time and the ensuing taste of Cliff's lips were better than he ever imagined. They were full and soft and they interlocked with his own in impeccable harmony. Those sexy Klausian arms wrapped Fayt close, in an embrace that felt like home. The warmth flowed between them, hearts racing like they had just run a meandering marathon across Elicoor.

Fayt wasn't going to be the one finishing this fiery kiss. And so it went on, as he began to taste a tinge of liquor in his lover's mouth, a creamy caramel flavour that turned him on even more. He moved his free hand under Cliff's tight black shirt and followed the curves of his abs across his muscular stomach. In return, the blond slowly moved a hand down the arc of Fayt's back and stopped to affectionately grasp his posterior. _Ooooh. _

Finally, Cliff pulled back and Fayt leisurely opened his eyes. Looking past the Klausian's shoulder, he caught sight of a falling star, all alone, and thought _I can't explain what you can't explain_ (Song by All-American Rejects, It Ends Tonight). Age didn't matter, their love was unconventional, yes, but far more courageous and true.

Fayt felt on top of the world.

"Let's head back ya big crybaby!" Cliff said, smiling devilishly.

"You're the one to talk, Mr. Eyes like a Waterfall!" Fayt retorted, elbowing him playfully in the side.

-------------------------------------------

Back in their cozy room at the inn, Cliff and Fayt sat down on their respective beds facing each other, both letting out immense sighs of relief.

"Are you still crying?!" Cliff suddenly exclaimed, as he noticed tears starting to well up again in his partner's left eye.

"No its just…"

"Yes, yes you are! Fayt 'Niagara Falls' Leingod! That's what I'm gonna call ya from now on!" the blond shot back, eyes smiling (A/N: yes, apparently Niagara Falls still exists).

"CLIFF!! I'm not crying, seriously! I just have an eyelash stuck in my eye!" the bluenette yelled at him, rolling his eyes and cringing as it hurt. "A little help please?"

"Oh...my bad."

The Klausian got up and proceeded to help ease the eyelash out of his eye, poking away — to warnings of 'be careful!' — until he had coaxed the annoyance to the side and out.

"So, now that you're all done **crying**, do you wanna…"

Fayt blushed like a field full of scarlet tulips. "Ya. I just can't believe this is happening. I mean, you're so handsome Cliff, and I'm so happy...down there…"

The blond immediately looked down at the other's lap, head tilted a little to the left like a dog being offered a treat.

"Well, while we're being honest," Cliff bellowed, "I might as well admit…..I'm as hard as a sapphire in a snowstorm!"

Initially shocked by the bluntness of this declaration, Fayt couldn't help but burst out laughing, so proud to have such a _brilliant_ man all to himself. Receiving a shot of inspiration (he had seen his share of movies with romantic scenes and foreplay), he pulled his shirt off out of the blue — revealing a smooth stomach and sleek chest muscles — and went over to kneel behind the blond. Placing his hands over the other's tight shoulders he began to give an intense massage to a moaning Cliff.

"_Ahhh_, where'd you get such talented hands?"

"I've given my share of these over the years. You could call it the 'Leingod Special'," Fayt joked with a smirk. "Sophia enjoyed taking turns doing this when we were bored. How about you lie down now, I've got an idea."

This really piqued Cliff's interest and he was rather amused by Fayt trying so hard. He took his shirt off as well and lay down on the bed on his stomach, back muscles rippling as he stretched out.

Fayt suddenly jumped up, standing on the bed, and proceeded to walk all over Cliff's back, massaging with his toes.

"_Oooh_. Fayt what are ya doing? _Ooomph_. This all part of your routine?"

"Yup," he responded enthusiastically, stomping around and truly enjoying himself. "My dad used to ask me to walk on his back when I was little. Apparently it's good for getting out those deep knots."

Cliff was about to complain until he realized it actually felt really good. He thought of quipping back about how Fayt wasn't a kid anymore and probably weighed a lot more now, but chose not to because his sturdy Klausian back more than made up for that.

Abruptly stopping the massage, Fayt sat down beside his newfound love and crossed his arms as a concerted pout started creeping across his face.

"What's wrong kid? I thought you were just getting started?" Cliff asked, so comfortable he didn't move.

"I don't know what I'm doing Cliff. I've never done this before and I'm nervous…" The blond could clearly see that from Fayt's trembling hands and from the tone of his voice.

"Don't worry Fayt. You're doing just fine. After disappearing on me like that a massage is the perfect thing to help these tense muscles. No need to rush things."

"Okay thanks," the bluenette replied with relief. "I do actually have one more idea for a massage I've never tried before…", his eyes turning from worried to slightly inquisitive to downright determined. Before Cliff could respond Fayt repositioned himself so that he was right on top of the older man, straddling his back. This made him very excited, feeling the blond's body so close.

Bending down from his sitting position, Fayt began to work his hands across Cliff's back. He then paused momentarily…and proceeded to summon a **lightning** **symbology** in one hand! Making sure it was very weak, he directed the bit of electricity into his friend's back as he pushed his palms along the muscles.

"Owww!" Cliff whined, exaggerating how it felt and jerking his head around. "Geez...what was that? Trying to get revenge for that monster snowball I nailed ya with in Airyglyph?"

"No!" But then he thought that **was **a good reason to increase the intensity of the shock. "I remember hearing that a bit of electricity helps to ease the muscles, from college bio classes I think. It can't hurt that much Cliff, the spell was so faint."

"I guess it's kinda nice," the blond admitted. "Definitely something new, you should be a full-time inventor with all these crazy ideas you have," he teased.

After a few more minutes of this 'electrifying massage', Cliff decided it was time to try something else.

The Klausian wanted to give Fayt a little demonstration of what he was best at: showing off. Standing up in front of his buddy, who was now sitting on the edge of the bed with hands on his knees as if ready to watch a play, Cliff dropped his jet black pants and kicked off his shoes. Watching Fayt's eyes grow to the size of lemons, he finally took off his underwear and started flexing his biceps, right arm and then left. He had seen the kid staring at his bodybuilder frame and thought that this would probably be just what the doctor ordered.

Fayt almost came right there.

Calming himself with deep breaths and unable to find words, Fayt simply admired the close perfection of Cliff's body. He marvelled over the sculpted abs (_a work of art_) — kind of jealous that he didn't have any — , the toned chest, and he took a quick stare at the master showpiece, which was as remarkable as he had imagined. Looking upwards again he noticed Cliff's navy eyes…

"Hey Cliff, eyes on me!" Fayt ordered, chuckling. The blond was sneaking a glance past Fayt and admiring **himself** flexing his own muscles in the mirror on the wall behind the bluenette.

"They are…"

"Liar! You lie like a rug! But that's okay. I'd be doing the same. But just in case you need something more to look at…"

Fayt proceeded to unceremoniously strip naked, wrapping his arms around his stomach to make himself feel less embarrassed and exposed. The room was comfortably warm but teeny goose bumps still managed to rise up across his skin, spreading like a wave from one shore to the other.

"Looks like ya need some warmin' up!" The blond stormed towards Fayt and enveloped him in a loving embrace. They both fell over on the bed, bodies touching, skin rubbing together as if to incite a fire within them.

"This feels so right," Cliff moaned, running a hand through his partner's blue hair. Fayt was now tracing an index finger around Cliff's smooth nipple, making it become erect and eerily pleasurable from the cool touch.

This intimate moment — lying on his side facing his love — got Fayt to thinking. _Was this all too good to be true? _The man he had longed for was now his yet he couldn't shake thoughts of the future...of the possibility of losing him…of everything he had disappearing. His doubts didn't last long.

"Fayt, this is all new to me too. Don't cha worry though. This is forever, I can feel it. That promise to protect you — it's extended to include this love." Just what he wanted to hear.

"I'll lead ya through this 'kay? We'll take it slow?" The blond was affectionately holding Fayt's chin and cheek in his hand, rubbing soothingly.

"Uh huh. Please," the young man responded, negative thoughts evaporating as dew by the morning sun.

"You just sit back and relax then…"

Cliff gently turned Fayt on his back and slipped down towards the end of the bed in order to lie on his stomach in front of Fayt's package. The bluenette instinctively closed his eyes, bewildered (and pleased) at how tender the blond was towards him. He had always imagined Cliff as being rough in bed, but then again he was known for portraying a gruff, boorish image which hid his true smarts and how caring he really was.

Fayt was excited and it showed. He finally felt the warm, tingling sensation of Cliff's mouth over his cock and he let out a small gasp, enjoying the new experience.

Cliff paused for a second. "You okay, kid?"

"Ya...It feels really good. Don't stop," he groaned.

Grinning mischievously, the Klausian continued his work, bobbing up and down like his life depended on it. Fayt arced his neck back on the sweet-smelling pillow as little beads of sweat started gathering on his face and matting up his hair. He stuck his tongue out, curving it upwards to lick his upper lip as he savoured the pleasure of Cliff's mouth over his member. Alternating between licking it all over, sucking, and gentle kissing, Cliff casually twisted a finger around the little line of stomach hair that ran from Fayt's waist up past his belly button, curling and caressing it. His other hand lay peacefully on the bluenette's stomach, softly stroking in circles every once in a while, such close touch so welcome to an oft lonely Fayt.

Urging his hips upwards, the young one implicitly told his beloved to take him deeper. This only made him groan louder and turn his head back and forth at each motion Cliff made as he held the bed sheets tightly in one hand and rested the other on the back of Cliff's head. With this hand he carefully massaged the golden locks as one would a pet's ears and intermittently directed the man's head downwards.

Fayt's breaths began to deepen as Cliff's smooth tongue worked up and down his dick, wonderful lips sliding along the sensitive areas and over bulging veins. Signalling it was time to change things up before he came, Cliff started pulling away and suddenly Fayt's breaths stopped completely.

There was a knock at the door. Starting to feel that awful sensation of being interrupted in the middle of something **really good**, he could see Cliff start to say something but stopped him by going 'shhh shhh', giggling as he did because the blond was tickling his sides at the same time.

Then they heard a voice…

TO BE CONTINUED! (A/N: HAHAHA!! I'm so evil ;D)


	4. Chapter 4: Chocolate X

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt

Rating: PG-13 to R - Warning: Yaoi, please don't read if you don't like this.

Summary: Who dare disturb their lovemaking!? Find out now. Later on the sex scene continues and let's just say Cliff has an interesting idea of what to do with their dinner. It just gets dirtier from there on. There's just not enough CliffxFayt lemonaide out there! Now there's at least one more :D The flashback to their first night finally ends and they are heading back to Airyglyph when Albel shakes things up a bit. And **what** has Cliff got planned for his Fayt?

Note: Much love to SpectralWings and XD for their reviews!

**Chapter 4 (censored version, the cut out scene is replaced by a link to the full text if you want to read it):**

Then they heard a voice speak through the door.

"Excuse me, this is Margaret from the front desk. Did you two want to order dinner at the inn tonight or are you going out to eat?"

Fayt was trying to push Cliff away from him with his foot because the big lug was still at it with his tickling.

"Cliff," he whispered, while saying 'stop it, stop it' between words, "What should we say?"

"Thanks Margaret," Cliff said loudly, "But I think we'll be eating out tonight..." He then turned to look Fayt straight in the eye and smiling devilishly whispered "...Literally!"

Dropping his jaw momentarily, Fayt continued giggling and Cliff joined in too as he titillated the young man's waist.

"Sure no problem, have a good sleep then," the host replied.

"That might be a little difficult," the blond joked quietly. They heard the pitter patter of footsteps fade away across the creaky wooden floor. "Who's da man? Who da man? See! Easy to get rid of her."

"Cliff! STOP TICKLING ME!!" Fayt finally yelled, free of eavesdroppers. "What if she heard us laughing like that. That would be a kinda weird don't you think? Do you know of a lot of men who **giggle** together when they are staying at inns?"

Cliff snickered and gave a big shrug. "Eh, you're such a tightass Fayt. Loosen up a bit...or I just might have to do it for you…"

_Wow someone's dirty today_, Fayt thought. He was a little worried about what might be coming up next, but he was so horny he didn't care. Maybe it was he who was the dirty one. One thing's for sure, he was definitely hungry now after remembering they hadn't eaten dinner yet.

"Cliff, do we have anything we can snack on? I'm hungry all of a sudden."

The blond was kneeling in between Fayt's legs and his eyes widened as he thought of what sort of food they had. The thing is, Cliff may have had a different idea about what to do with the food than Fayt had.

"Ya, well let's see," he replied, rummaging through their supplies. "Aha! We have this chocolate hazelnut spread that you can put on bread? How about that?"

"Chocolate for dinner huh? Hmmm, why not." Fayt was so hungry he didn't care if it was unhealthy. The Klausian got out some bread and proceeded to squirt the chocolate spread out of the bottle and onto the food. Fayt just relaxed on the bed, enjoying the sight of his lover walking naked around the room, dick flopping this way and that, nicely rounded butt turning him on.

After chowing down their _amazing_ dinner while sitting side by side, Fayt started licking off each of his fingers. Unbeknownst to him, Cliff had secretly grabbed the bottle of chocolate spread again. Springing it out from behind his back, he held it like a gun and splattered a bunch of the stuff all over Fayt's chest!

"GOTCHA! Perfect shot! Who says Maria's got the best aim?" Cliff laughed deeply, slapping a thigh.

_Now that blond's gonna get it_. Eyes squinting up in pretend anger, Fayt focused in on his target like one would with a cross hair in a shooting game. The older man was grinning like hyena, strands of his bangs falling into his eyes. The bluenette pounced on his prey, tackling a surprised Cliff and pinning him to the bed. The Klausian fought back half-heartedly, wrestling and laughing at the same time. Fayt managed to rub a bit of the chocolate off himself and onto Cliff's chest. Slowly but surely the fighting turned into cuddling. They finally lay beside each other, short of breath, and smelling seductively of cocoa.

"I know how to clean this up…"

Cliff rolled over on his stomach and moved his head closer to Fayt's so that the contrast between their intertwining hair colours was quite shocking — almost like the plumage of a blue and yellow macaw or something. The blond began to playfully peck and nip at the other's neck, leaving a line of baby kisses as he moved down towards Fayt's chocolaty chest. The young man inhaled deeply, feeling the tender touch of an 'angel's' lips on his sensitive skin. Wide palms slid lovingly down the smooth sides of the bluenette's abdomen and Fayt's toes started wriggling back and forth from the delightful sensation of this kissing and caressing.

Having reached the chest, Cliff began to blissfully lick up the chocolate he had spread over Fayt's lean body. He alternated between long tongue strokes from lower stomach to chest and quick little licks like a cat slurping up fresh milk.

"HAHAHA! Cliff...that...**tickles**!"

Finishing up, Cliff shifted his licking to Fayt's nipples, which created the strangest (but pleasurable) sensation the bluenette had ever felt. Obviously he enjoyed it because his cock swiftly shot up by itself. Fayt was so happy. Not only was this night turning out to be as hot as he imagined, it was also really fun.

After cleaning his lover up, the blond rested his head on his hands, staring deeply into Fayt's emerald eyes. Fayt just wanted all of Cliff, it felt as if his body was reaching out for the man next to him. Looking all innocent the Klausian eventually spoke.

"So are you ready for more or are we done for tonight?"

"No, I'm ready," he replied blushing once again. "I want you now Cliff, but..."

"...You've never done it before, right? Can't say I have either but I know how to get ya ready. It'll probably hurt a bit at first I'm imagining. But I'll be gentle."

"Thank you Cliff. You're so sweet," Fayt said smiling.

"Sweeter than chocolate?"

"Absolutely, sweeter than the best chocolate in the universe...spread all over me!"

"You're cute." Cliff ruffled up the young man's hair, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. He then went across the room and started poking around in his bag looking for some lube (which he happened to carry around everywhere).

Fayt tried hard to relax. It was like anxiously sitting in class and waiting to give a big presentation at school. His palms were sweaty and his stomach was tied up in knots.

"'Kay Fayt. I'm gonna loosen you up a little now. I've got a lot for you down there if you haven't already noticed. If its too much just tell me to stop, don't be shy." Cliff proceeded to apply the lube to some fingers on his right hand and he put a drop on Fayt as well. The lube was chilly and sent a quick shiver up his spine. The sweet smell of strawberries wafted up to his nose and vaguely reminded him of munching on a fresh crop when his mom used to take him to a farm when he was young. That was one tradition they didn't do anymore.

Cliff propped Fayt's behind up off the bed a little while easing the legs back towards his chest. He slipped his index finger into Fayt's hole and looked up for a response.

"Ooooh!" was all that came out of the young man's mouth. He clenched his fists like his lover would before attacking an enemy and focused on relaxing all his muscles. The finger felt slick and smooth, and it didn't hurt at all. Fayt had actually fingered himself a few times before in the shower so this wasn't completely foreign to him.

"You're doing great man, here's the next one." Cliff slid in his middle finger and gently worked in and out. Now the bluenette felt some pain and he inhaled loudly through his teeth. He knew what he wanted though and wasn't going to say anything. After a bit the blond slipped part of his ring finger in.

"Ahhh…" Fayt gasped, covering his eyes with his hands. "I'm okay, I'm okay," he managed.

"Great! That's perfect. I think you're all ready now," the Klausian said, sounding impressed.

* * *

Too hot for FanFiction. To see the uncensored version (NC-17) go to: 4-quintessence(dot)livejournal(dot)com(slash)75154(dot)html and look for the red line and read from there.

* * *

Fayt, in a haze, exhaled deeply, closing his eyes and feeling like he could fall asleep with the snap of someone's thumb and middle finger. Sweat dripped down the temples of his face and plopped lightly onto the bed. Cliff also plopped right next to him on the bed, expending his last drop of energy. He held Fayt's hand firmly and they kissed once more before Cliff stretched out his arm and Fayt rested his head on the other's shoulder.

"You're amazing at everything you do, you know that?" Cliff mumbled, yawning. "I love you so much, I'm a better person around you…through everything I've done you're what's been missing..."

"Hmmm?" the young man responded, dozing off. "I love you too Cliff…We'll get through this mess...We can do anything…" Fayt finally fell asleep as his partner lay there comfortably, looking out the window at the stars, in awe with how much things could change in one simple day.

_I'm falling even more in love with you  
Letting go of all I've held onto  
I'm standing here until you make me move  
I'm hanging by a moment here with you  
I'm living for the only thing I know  
I'm running and not quite sure where to go  
And I don't know what I'm diving into  
Just hanging by a moment here with you_

_There's nothing else to lose  
There's nothing else to find  
There's nothing in the world  
That can change my mind_

_There is nothing else_

_- 'Hanging by a Moment' by Lifehouse_

_--_

"Wow Fayt, we had an incredible first night don't cha think?"

"It's only because you made it so wonderful. You and your chocolate." Fayt stuck out his tongue at Cliff with this remark.

They had managed to survive the Mosel Dunes and the Ancient Ruins, recalling when they had first fell in love along the way. Cliff's devotion had lifted a weight off Fayt's shoulders, giving him confidence and poise as their adventure progressed. They grew closer with every passing day, still hiding their relationship from the others who were travelling with them. But they both figured it was about time to tell the rest of their crew, now that they themselves had gotten used to the idea of being partners. But there was no real rush. It could wait until after their visit to Airyglyph.

Having now reached the Sanmite Steppes, the group walked unhurriedly across the plain, chatting to each other and fighting the occasional monster. Fayt tended to walk with Sophia or Nel in the middle of the pack, Cliff with Mirage or Maria out front, while Albel tagged along behind everyone. This set up worked well for the bluenette as he had a clear view of Cliff's beefy butt as they sauntered along. If Sophia was talking too much, it was nice to have something attractive to admire.

Little did Fayt know, this set up also gave Albel the opportunity to stare at his ass as they ventured across Elicoor II. Cliff had taken note of Albel's glaring though.

After stopping for a quick rest on the Steppes, the group got up and proceeded towards Peterny. Albel was sitting on a flat rock along the path's edge and just as Fayt walked past...he shot out a leg to trip him. The young man ungracefully flew forwards and hit the ground with a 'thump'.

"What the hell, Albel?" he yelled after jerking his head around from his new bed in the grass. Unhurt, he was more annoyed than angry.

"Ya 'Bel, stop staring at his ass," Cliff grunted as he walked past the former captain, casually punching him in the gut without turning to look at him. "And put on some clothes." The girls snickered as they wandered by. The blond helped Fayt up and they continued on together, as if nothing had happened.

After gasping and holding his bare stomach for a few seconds, Albel impulsively grabbed his katana as some word rhyming with 'cool' escaped his lips, but at that very moment an enemy ambushed the team so his thoughts of revenge were scattered to the wind.

"Who knows what goes on in that mind," Cliff said to Fayt after the battle, rolling his eyes. "He deserved that anyways."

"Was he really staring at me while we were walking?"

"Yup. Don't worry though, I'm on patrol. Ain't nobody gonna touch my man," the Klausian joked, wrapping a strong arm around Fayt's shoulders as they continued on.

"Aww, aren't they cute," Sophia whispered to Nel, Mirage, and Maria, who waited for Albel to catch up with them.

--

After walking across what seemed like half the planet, the gang finally arrived in the perpetually snowy Royal City of Airyglyph. The group scattered around the town, carrying out various tasks, leaving Fayt and Cliff to sit together at the inn in front of the crackling fireplace.

"Fayt, I've found out about some rich guy in town who's hoarding a bunch of orichalcum in his house. We haven't yet figured out how to create it through alchemy but we **need** that stuff in order to improve our weapons for the road ahead."

"So what exactly are you suggesting…?" Fayt asked, squinting one eye apprehensively.

Laying a hand on his lover's lap, Cliff replied "Kid, I need ya to infiltrate his mansion and snatch one of those." Seeing that Fayt was about to protest, the blond continued to persuade him, poorly (I might add). "Don't worry, he won't miss it. There's one thing though...apparently he hires a lot of female escorts and that's pretty much the only way we can get in since the place is so heavily guarded."

Looking thoroughly puzzled and not sure what Cliff was getting at, Fayt knew whatever the big lout had up his sleeve, it couldn't be good.

Mhahaha! TO BE CONTINUED!


	5. Chapter 5: Cross Dressing

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt + another i can't give away

Rating: PG-13

Summary: I love this chapter! Its a little long but i wanted to fit all the **cross dressing goodness** of Fayt into one section. So ya, Fayt finally finds out what Cliff has planned and they get him ready for the infiltration. Sophia makes an entrance. Then its time to sneak into the mansion and find that orichalcum! But **who** is this man who owns the place:O

Note: HAHA great review XD! It made me laugh that you laughed so much! Sorry 'bout the nosebleed! Thanks too SpectralWings for the favourite! _Remember that italics are thoughts and once or twice they are used for emphasis_.

**Chapter 5:**

"Yup, you're gonna have to dress up as a girl — a hot, promiscuous girl. MMMmmm."

"You're joking right? This isn't some sick idea you wanna try in bed is it…?" Fayt shook his head. He was desperately trying to come up with an excuse or some way to get out of it.

"HEY! Now there's an...I mean never mind. No, I'm serious. It's the only way we're gonna get in."

The bluenette decided to follow a different train of thought. _It is true that we need the orichalcum and it actually might be kinda fun to dress up, try something different. Who knows? Maybe I'll actually look good in a dress...WHOA THERE! Snap out of it Fayt! _But sneaking around in disguise? It actually sounded like it could be exciting, well except for the whole being a girl part. Plus he wanted to do something for Cliff, seeing as the blond had done so much for him on their adventure.

"Okay, here's the deal Cliff. I'll dress up for you and sneak in on one condition. I get to do anything I want with you after this is all over. Deal?"

Now the Klausian was a little worried. It was weird to see Fayt so bold and agreeing to something so easily. _I must be rubbing off on the kid_. _But what could he want to do with me? It couldn't be that bad._

"Deal! No problem! As long as it doesn't involve zapping me with lightning I'm all for it," he replied, winking.

Fayt's eyes briefly glossed over as he daydreamed about what to do with the wish he had just been granted. _Its gotta be dirty...nasty...hmmm_.

Snapping out of it he finally spoke to his lover, watching the shadow of the fire's flames dance across his face. "Okay then sick-o I guess I'm gonna have to find some women's clothes."

"Oh, you're gonna need more than that Fayt," the blond said with a gigantic smile.

"So, you've got it all planned out do you?"

"I've been wanting to do this for a while...HAHA, I'm kidding, I'm kiddin'. Let's see...I'm seeing…" Cliff paused as he rested his chin on his right palm, studying the younger man. "Aha! I'm seeing...BELLY DANCER!" He threw one fist into the air in celebration.

"Oh lord," Fayt mumbled, wondering what kind of fantasies swirled in that man's head.

-------------------------------------------

It was early afternoon on a drab, cloudy day in Airyglyph. Cliff and Fayt set out together to look for the clothing store, the crispy snow crunching beneath them with every step. Fayt walked with his head down so that the light breeze that channeled through the streets didn't blow his bangs back and make his hair look funny. They soon came to the shop window and slipped inside, their puffs of breath turning from foggy to clear. Fayt shivered and rubbed his hands together as they started to warm up in the cozy store.

"HELLLLLLO! How are you two today? What'er you looking for?" the overly friendly shopkeeper bellowed. Cliff swore he had seen this man at the bar every time he went while visiting Airyglyph.

"Hi there! We're looking for some belly dancing clothes," the blond said cheerfully.

Doing a double take at the two men in front of him, the clerk finally noticed Cliff pointing a finger at Fayt while doing the 'he's crazy' twirl with one finger in front of his ear. A wave of recognition ran across the merchant's face.

"Ahhh of course! We have everything here. Just take a look at that rack over there and let me know if you need any help." After motioning, the shopkeeper went back to his desk, pretending to busy himself.

Cliff found a few belly dancing outfits near the back of the store and looked them over while Fayt just stood there, trying not to blush. The blond's jaw suddenly dropped. He had found 'the one'. Without a word he motioned Fayt into the change room and moved away, tapping his foot on the floor and striking up conversation with the clerk who was coming over to him.

"Y'know, he's always said that just once, he'd like to dress up as a girl. Practically dragged me in here so we could find a cute dress. Crazy, if you ask me."

"Ya, it happens. I got a friend with the same taste as him. Nothing like a gorgeous, confused young man cross dressing to spice things up." They both laughed.

A few minutes later a feminized Fayt emerged. "It fits perfectly!" the shopkeeper exclaimed breathlessly. Cliff had chosen a shimmering green bikini top complete with flashy tassels that would shake around while dancing. The matching long silky skirt was adorned with flowers of blue and green around the waist and lines of beads that ran down the length of the cloth. The outfit had also come with a bead necklace of multiple layers, an **adorable** faux flower for his hair, and a little veil to play with. His entire midsection was bare.

"Cliff, I'm gonna get you for this."

"Aww, but you're so pretty Fayt! Dance for me?" the Klausian pleaded, raising his forearms and shaking his fists around. The bluenette shot him a dirty look.

"You might want to do something about that little line of hair by your belly button…" the clerk advised.

"Oh ya, no problem-o Fayt, we'll take care of that back at the inn. But what about a wig?"

"Just your luck, I know an actor next door at the theatre who uses a bunch of wigs in his plays," the man replied, turning to look at Fayt. "You'll find a lot of people there like you. Go talk to them."

"Like me? Cliff! What did you tell him?" Fayt frowned, giving his partner an icy glare of death.

"Lift your left leg and I'll tell ya."

Looking confused, Fayt lifted his leg and discovered there was a slit the size of the Grand Canyon down one side of the skirt so that you could see his entire leg, hip to toe, in all its naked glory.

"OH MY GOD!!!"

Cliff almost killed himself laughing.

-------------------------------------------

After picking up a wig from the playhouse and returning to the inn, Cliff was helping Fayt put everything together in preparation for the infiltration. The blond had already shaved off the little line of blue hair on his partner's stomach. Sitting in front of the mirror, Cliff was fiddling with the shoulder length dirty blonde wig, trying to secure it while positioning the flower in its wavy hair. Fayt just sat there, a little awestruck with what he was seeing in the mirror. The Klausian then fumbled with the clasp on the belly dancing top which had wriggled itself loose.

Little did they know, Sophia had returned from her errands and was turning the corner to their room…

"Fayt...are you here...AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Sophia threw down her staff in an instant and grasped her stomach as she burst out laughing.

"SOPHIA!! You're back already?" Fayt screeched, feeling like his parents had just walked in on him playing with himself. His newly blonde hair flew around as he jerked his head to look at her, embarrassed as hell.

"Cliff! You're going to get _Fayt_ to go in after the orichalcum? Wouldn't it be easier if one of us went?" Sophia asked, sighing and wiping away a tear.

"I guess. But this is way more fun Sophie! Plus, I think you're a little too young to do this mission."

"It's Sophia dummy!" she declared, throwing her arms downwards.

Cliff waved his right hand in the air. "Sophia, Sophie, whatever, close enough. We've got to get it soon and the others said they'd be out for a while so..."

"...I get to dress like a girl, just like I always wanted," Fayt joked, discreetly holding the slit closed on his skirt with a free hand.

Sophia's face turned strangely serious.

"Hey Sophie, can you help put on his makeup? I got no clue how to do that."

"Sure! Although...I never thought I'd be putting it on my best friend. But I gotta admit...you look so beautiful Fayt!" she said batting her eyelids. She waltzed over and sat beside him, opened up a lipstick, and proceeded to liven up his lips.

"So Fayt just so you know, I'm totally okay with what you're doing."

"Wha...?"

"I mean if this makes you feel more like yourself or if it gives you more confidence after all you've been through, I think its just fine to dress like a girl. It'll just take me some getting used to it. I'm your friend and I'll support anything you do."

Fayt suddenly had the urge to grab Sophia and shake her, in the nicest way possible of course.

"**SOPHIA!!! **I WAS JOKING! I don't have some lifelong dream to dress up as a girl! Especially not a belly dancer! I'm only doing this to get the stupid orichalcum!"

Sophia's finally registered what he was saying. "Ohhhhh! Okay that makes more sense. It's hard to tell when you're being sarcastic anymore. We haven't been spending enough time together lately!"

Cliff, who had been sitting on the bed, was getting a crack out of the whole scene that was unfolding in front of him. And the former bluenette couldn't help but chuckle now that Sophia had it all figured out. _More time together? Uh oh. _

The Klausian finally jumped off the bed and stretched his arms behind his head, so proud of his cute little sweetheart for going through all this and tolerating his teasing. He grabbed a winter coat for Fayt to wear for the short trek to the mansion and they both wished him luck as he walked out the door, truly transformed.

"If you take too long we're coming in after ya," the real blond promised. "Don't say too much, just get the stuff and leave that pervert in the dust."

"Ya, Miss Fayt! Remember to walk more like me! Swing your hips! I'll come save you too if you get in trouble!" Sophia yelled after him.

"How are you gonna save him, huh Sophie? Run in there and **Cure** the guy to death? Knock him with your staff? Ooo! 15 hit points! … OWWWWW! What was that for?"

-------------------------------------------

Fayt looked stunning. But he didn't feel stunning inside — he was a mixed bag of emotions. On one hand he was excited about sneaking into the place, but on the other he was terribly anxious about pulling off the whole girl thing. He was less worried about his safety as he had hidden a dagger in the waist of the green skirt and he still had his powerful symbologies if he needed them. Not to mention he rocked in battle. Passing by a small house on the way, Fayt noticed two children building a snowman and they gave him a wave as he walked by. He could hear the girl whisper to her brother, "I wish I had hair as pretty as that!"

_Is it true that blonds have more fun?_ he pondered. _Cliff sure does, at my expense of course_. _Can't wait to get back into bed with him and teach him a lesson…_

He had arrived at the gates to the mansion. Two guards stood out front, both eyeing their visitor through metal helms. One of them spoke: "Hey there sexy, I bet I know what you're here for."

"Too bad you aren't for us," the other cooed. "What's your name, you from around here?"

_OH SHIT. I didn't think about that. Come on Fayt, just come up with something_.

"Mirage," he responded, in as girly a voice as he could manage, as he covered part of his face with the veil. _Oh man, Mirage? You couldn't think of anything better than that? If she hears about this..._

"You're a shy one, eh? That's okay. They're better when they stay quiet," one guard said to the other. "Okay then, go on through."

Faytette(?) hurried past them and up towards the building, noticing more guards spread out over the estate grounds. He shook his head as he heard the gatekeepers whistling behind him. _If only they knew…_he mused, smiling. The guard at the main door didn't say a word and simply opened it for him. But Fayt could feel the glare of eyes following him as he entered the mansion and put his coat on a hook. Before him lay a lavish entrance hall, decorated with crimson velvet tapestries, marble statues of lions, a grand chandelier, a massive painting of what must have been the owner, and a spiral staircase to the upper floor. One of the servants pointed him in the direction of the stairway so he hurried up and cautiously sauntered down a creepy hall with murals of skeletons in sexual positions on the walls, wondering where he was supposed to go. He could feel the tiny hairs on the back of his neck rising up...

**SLAM! **A door closed right behind him and he jumped around abruptly, tassels flying everywhere — he was already on edge from making it this far. There stood the same man from the painting downstairs. He was middle-aged with a moustache and black hair that almost reached his shoulders, and he was wearing a violet robe which hid a bit of a belly.

"You're early! That's just fine. Wow, you're quite the pussycat...MEOW. I'm impressed, you must be new to the escort agency. MMMmmm and I love the outfit...its just too bad I didn't hire you for me today."

"Excuse me?" Fayt managed, trying desperately to calm himself under this turn of events.

"Ya, daddy doesn't get to have you. I got you for a friend of mine. He's in the next room ahead. Go on. I'll have to call you back sometime…cutie."

Trying not to gag, Fayt headed for the room as the owner turned and went downstairs, but not before watching his visitor's behind as he walked away. Thinking _oh god, oh god, what's next _and_ where would he keep the orichalcum?!_, Fayt began to turn the handle and slowly creak the door open. Someone was sitting in a chair facing away from him and towards a fireplace in this bedroom. The young man could only see a head of hair that was bleached towards the end of the strands…

**_ALBEL!?!?! _**Fayt's mind screamed.

He suddenly felt light-headed, as he had in the Mosel Dunes. _So this is where he hangs out when we stop in town. Hopefully not every time though…_. Standing there like the frozen snowman he had seen outside, Fayt watched Albel leisurely stand and give him a look over. _Please don't recognize me, please don't recognize me_...

"Ahhh, there you are my deary," Albel said dryly. "I've no time for pleasantries. Let's just get right into it and see what you've got. Give me a little dance first though, as I see you're all dressed up for that."

Fayt didn't really have much choice. Praying that he would get out of this without Albel knowing anything, the belly dancer improvised and started shaking his hips and clumsily dancing in a circle, covering as much of his face as he could with his veil. The beads from his necklace made clinking noises as they shook around.

"Yesss." Albel had unhitched his katana and placed it on the chair, then he began to take off his shirt (if you could call it that), clenching his artificial hand in delight at the display in front of him. Fayt was treated to the sight of a body even more slender than his own and a mid-section that closely resembled a skinny girl's. Albel still had a nicely defined chest and you could just barely make out a rib or two below it.

Fayt had never thought of Albel in a sexual way before and the man had only been with the group for a short while now. But he did admit that there was something alluring about the brigade captain, even though his temper drove the kid crazy. And the bluenette seemed to be the only one who really understood Albel and the way he acted — they could relate to each other's pasts. He didn't mind him tagging along on their trip, even if the others did.

Fayt finally shoved these thoughts to the back of his mind and decided to focus on the task at hand. He felt bad about what he had to do.

"Come here, fool. It's time for me to…have my way with you." Before Fayt could react, Albel had grabbed him through mid-dance and thrown him onto the bed, and out of the blue Mr. Nox was hovering over him, running a sharp metal nail down his stomach.

"My, my I see you like to go _au naturale_ on the legs there…better that way..." Albel muttered, seeing some hairs as the skirt's slit opened slightly. Fayt immediately closed it up with one hand and hoped the other hadn't seen that the hairs were blue.

The sensual touch of Albel placing his other hand on the young man's abdomen sent him into a bit of a haze, until he forcefully snapped out of it. _No...Cliff…_.The aggressor started to move in closer to Fayt's face, reaching to touch a lock of his wig as his victim turned his head sideways to avoid contact…

That was enough.

Fayt started summoning a **Stun** spell, but Albel caught whiff of the magic forming around them and jumped to get his katana, quickly pointing its deadly tip at the belly dancer's neck.

"What do you think you're doing, maggot? I'm in charge here, there'll be none of that. Since when do whores use runology, hmmm? Might I have to teach you a lesson you'll never forget?"

The bluenette temporarily ceased the spell. Instead he slipped one hand under his waist and with lightning speed drew out his dagger and whacked the katana with such force that it flew out of Albel's hand and across the room. With a harsh growl, Albel leaped away and after his sword, which luckily gave Fayt enough time to properly summon his symbology and knock his friend out cold. The man fell to the timber floor right beside his weapon.

"Phewf!" Fayt exclaimed, letting out a deep sigh of relief. "Sorry Albel," he whispered as he walked about, searching the room for the stash of orichalcum. He definitely wanted to get out of the place as soon as possible. After not finding anything, he slipped out of the room and tried the next door down, stumbling upon what appeared to be the place where the owner stored all his sex toys! There were all sorts and sizes, some in display cases, and there was even a giant penis cabinet at one end of the dim room. _What the heck_. Fayt went to open it and voila! He found at least ten orichalcum sitting on the shelves, each blissfully glowing in shades of grey (_good hiding spot, _he confessed). He snatched three of them, since he couldn't really bring anymore or else someone would see them, putting two in his bikini top (haha) and holding the other within his left hand.

Sneaking as quietly as a mouse back down the hallway, Fayt's eyes darted this way and that, looking for any sign of movement. His mouth was dry from breathing so hard and his hair felt itchy under the wig. He made his way down the spiral staircase and headed for the door, snatching his coat along the way with his empty hand. Just as the guard was about to let him out, he heard the owner yell from down the corridor…

"That was quick! But I guess that's Albel for you. Fuck 'em, check, right to the next! HA! Kidding, kidding. You sure you wanna go so quickly...chicky?"

Fayt didn't stop, he just marched on and out the main gate as the watchmen snickered to each other and flakes of snow materialized in the white sky. Back at the inn, Cliff and Sophia burst into cheers as their hero ran into the room and collapsed on the bed, exhausted, but quite proud of himself.

"That was the scariest thing I've ever done," he promised them, pulling out the precious orichalcum and dropping them on the bed.

"Damn man! You ROCK! I can't believe you pulled that off," Cliff bellowed.

"Well, now I know how to get you back for this." Fayt lifted one hand and started twirling his index finger around in a circle, as if he was swinging something around it. Cliff looked at him curiously. Sophia had it all figured out.

"Aha! You're gonna use symbology to start a tornado and then throw Cliff into it so he flies out the top and back to Klaus III where all the dumb bunnies belong? … **OWWWW!** That's gonna leave a bruise you big blockhead!"

"Want some more??!?"

**TO BE CONTINUED! **

(A/N: wow that was long!! I wanted to fit it all into one chapter though. I thought about cutting it after Faytette discovered it was Albel but that would be uber mean! This one sure was fun to write!)


	6. Chapter 6: Rough Revenge

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt

Rating: PG-13 to R - Warning: Yaoi, please don't read if you don't like this.

Summary: How is Fayt gonna get Cliff back for making him cross dress? Let's just say the setting is the bedroom. Now that the couple is becoming more comfortable together, Fayt has more courage and wants to get a little wild. We end with the SO3 crew laughing at Cliff's expense.

Shout Outs - _**XD**_: I LOVE your reviews. I wait in anticipation! Seriously tho, after reading reviews i get the inspiration to start work on the next chapter. You noticed the FFVII tie-in! I didn't think about how i reverted Aeris' dialogue into Cliff's, but now looking at it, its funny it worked so well! And yes im a total Cliff fan (probably my fav. game character). Love everything about him :D _**Chaotic Distortion**_: I totally agree with u about Cliff/Fayt stories! That's my motivation...cuz there arn't any big sweeping ones. And i really want them in-character. And yes this is my first fanfic. _**SpectralWings**_: Thank you so much! Hearing that my story is your fav CliffxFayt means so much to me :) I put so much thought into it!

**Chapter 6 (censored version, cut out scene is replaced by type-in link):**

"Hey, Sophie. You wanna take the orichalcum to the workshop and start synthesizing our weapons?" Cliff asked as Sophia rubbed her shoulder where she had been smacked.

"Well...I'm glad you're asking **me** since you clearly have no idea what you're doing when we're there," Sophia teased, pushing the blond out of the way as she made for the door.

"We'll be there soon Sophia. After I get out of this uncomfortable outfit…"

"Of course, Fayty, no rush. It's just too bad the rest of the crew won't get to see you like this," she said, winking, grabbing their weapons, and waving as she left the two lovebirds alone at the inn.

"Now then," Cliff muttered softly, sliding down over Fayt who was lying on his back on the bed. "Whaddya have in mind for my punishment for being a _bad bad_ Klausian and making you go through all this?"

Staring deeply into the endless ocean of Cliff's eyes, Fayt merely moved closer to the other and gave him a big wet smooch on the cheek.

"That looks better Cliff," Fayt snickered, the kiss having left huge lipstick marks on the Klausian's face.

Giving a wide, sexy smile, the blond gently eased the wig off Fayt's head. The bluenette snatched the fake flower from it and stuck it in his partner's hair, holdings his lips firm and trying not to laugh. Not complaining in the least, Cliff slipped a hand under Fayt's back and unclipped the belly dancing top, tossing it to the side. The young man then took off his beaded necklace and slipped out from under Cliff to stand on the floor beside him. The blond collapsed on the cot and rested on his side to look at his lover, head held up by a hunky arm.

Fayt rummaged around in his travel bag looking for something he had made in the workshop. Finally feeling the cool touch of metal, he pulled out part of his revenge for the night...a pair of shiny handcuffs!

"Whoa there a minute, kid! What's this all about?"

Looking innocently over at his man, Fayt replied tenderly: "You promised I would get to do anything I wanted with you, right?"

"Riiight…"

"Well, I made these two handcuffs myself while I was out inventing. With you on my mind, I molded them with love."

Cliff laughed heartily. "You made them for me? How thoughtful…" he said, instinctively rubbing a hand around his left wrist. "Well I guess I'm gonna get what I deserve huh?"

"**You sure are**," Fayt responded, swinging a handcuff around his index finger. His eyes burned with mischievousness — he was happy that just this once, he was going to be in total control when it felt like everything in his life was out of control. This night he would file away his usual anxiety, and have a little fun on the way. He wanted to let himself go, be a bit wild. _Life is too short not to…_

"TAKE OFF YOUR CLOTHES," Fayt ordered, pointing a finger at Cliff as the handcuff swung back and forth from it like a pendulum.

Taken aback from the sudden brashness in the bluenette's voice, all Cliff could manage was "Sca-ree" as he began to strip naked on the bed. _This should be fun_, he thought. _The hidden side of Fayt: dirty, filthy, nasty. I like it!_ Leaving nothing on but the cute faux blossom in his hair, the blond went back to lying on his side, one hand on his ass and his tongue trying unsuccessfully to reach for the lip marks on his cheek.

Fayt licked his chops as he stared at his companion, tasting remnants of lipstick from his earlier belly dancing extravaganza. He never got tired of looking at Cliff.

"Okay! Let's get you tied up…"

The bluenette proceeded to push Cliff onto his back and had him stretch out both arms towards the bedposts. He then slipped a handcuff over his right wrist and snapped it closed, attaching the other side to the post. Leaping over Cliff, Fayt got the other side secure as the blond stuck out his tongue and tried to get close enough to the other's face to lick it.

Brushing his hands together for a job well done, Fayt began to run his hands over his chest and stomach, sticking one under the waist of the emerald green skirt he still had on and throwing his head back.

"Aww man, you're killin' me. Come over 'ere," Cliff pleaded, trying to motion him over as the chains on the handcuffs rattled angrily.

Fayt unhurriedly leaned over the bed and moved over top of Cliff, finally lying on top of him and feeling his skin tingle with the touch of his lean body on the other's smooth, defined chest. Leftover cologne from the bluenette's transformation wafted around the room, floating over them as the faint scent of lavender tickled their noses. Fayt started softly kissing his partner's chest, moving over and down one arm and back up to the shoulder. Cliff groaned and closed his eyes.

The young man licked the sensitive skin around the blond's underarm, feeling the rough scratch of a few hairs on his tongue. Following the curve of a pec muscle, Fayt abruptly decided that he was being too gentle for the vulnerable state Cliff was in. Grabbing a nipple with his teeth, the bluenette nibbled and yanked, causing Cliff to gasp out loud. Fayt put one hand over the other's mouth and continued on nibbling the other nipple. He then moved down and licked around the abs, carefully sucking and gnawing at the six pack. To be even more of a tease, he began to rub his waist back and forth over Cliff's rising member as the silky skirt hit all the right places.

After a minute or so of toying with Cliff, Fayt grabbed his lover's stiff cock and put the end in his eager mouth. Massaging his tongue around the shaft, he let his lips run over the hypersensitive bulge of the head. Stopping suddenly, Fayt looked up at a moaning Cliff and asked a peculiar question.

"So, it's like a popsicle right? You got the fruity outside and the velvety ice cream in the middle?" Fayt chuckled evilly.

"WHAT? No! There's nothing in the middle! No biting, NO TEETH!"

Too late. Fayt went back down and chomped on Cliff's dick. "That's for making me dress up in that silly outfit when any of the girls could have done the mission much more easily! And also for whatever you said to that guy in the clothing shop!"

"OWWWW! **Holy Mother of Apris!! **You got me Fayt. I'm sorry! I'M SORR-AY!" Cliff wailed, a single tear streaming down his cheek as he tried to break free of his shackles.

"Hehehe. Aww my poor Cliff, did that really hurt? I didn't even bite that hard. I'm pretty sure you deserved it though," Fayt said smiling cheerfully. "I forgive you...but I'm not done with you yet. Let's just say there probably won't be anymore pain involved."

"Phew! Good to hear you sneaky son-of-a…"

"HEY HEY! None of that. Remember when you used to tell me to 'shutup' all the time when we first met? I'd have some valid doubts over your crazy plans to help Nel and that's all I got! Like I was some dumb, annoying kid (_He better not say I was_)! Well do you want me to get you back for that too right now…"

"NO no! You're right. You just carry on then," Cliff mumbled, grinning to himself.

Standing up on the bed and towering over his prisoner, Fayt unclipped the skirt and threw it across the room in one swift motion. The decorative beads reflected the window's light around the room in a rippling sea of stars as the cloth floated and twisted to the floor. His briefs were soon off as well, and next he stepped down to grab a condom from his bag nearby. Unwrapping it and positioning it in his mouth, he moved over Cliff and readied himself for the intricate task ahead. Using his teeth and tongue in seamless harmony, little by little Fayt slipped the condom down over Cliff's member and then lubed himself up.

"Practice makes perfect, huh?" Cliff offered.

"It's a natural talent, I'd say, kinda like your leading of Quark…although the fact this is the third time I've tried probably helps."

"Finally! Some respect! I was damn good at what I did!"

"Well I'm going to show you something I'm damn good at Cliff," Fayt said seductively, sliding his smooth butt on the blond's stomach as he faced him. He slowly moved back towards his lover's upright cock and teased it by brushing his opening against it until Cliff could take it no more.

"I want you right now Leingod!"

"Oh do you now. I'm the one giving the orders, Cliff. And here is my next order: **FUCK ME FITTIR!**"

* * *

And this cut scene is NC-17. Oh man. It's hot. Go now, type: 4-quintessence(dot)livejournal(dot)com(slash)75328(dot)html in the URL bar and scroll down to the red squigglies and start reading from there.

* * *

"Wow, you make a pretty good hostage," Fayt declared, collapsing on the bed.

"Do I have permission to kiss you now, Master Fayt?"

_Ooo. That has a nice ring to it_. The bluenette reached for his bag to grab the key so he could undo the handcuffs. "Uh oh! I can't find the key!"

A positively terrified look swept across Cliff's face...well...at least until Fayt burst out laughing. He set his sex slave free and they cuddled together, exchanging a long french kiss.

"Aww, now we're all sticky!" Fayt exclaimed gleefully, raising his voice on the last word as he caressed the red mark on one of Cliff's wrists.

"Time for a shower ya dirty kid."

--

Believe it or not, Fayt's revenge wasn't over yet. The next morning he prepared for the final humiliation. He woke up early and pulled down a sleeping Cliff's pajama bottoms just enough so that his butt was showing. Then he moved the blankets on the bed so that his sweetheart's posterior — and the something on it — was visible from the door to their room. Giggling quietly, Fayt snuck out of their room and went to get the others to come see something he had to show them. Nel and Albel were already up, but Sophia, Mirage, and Maria had to be shaken awake.

With everyone crowding around the door in anticipation, Fayt swung it open and immediately everyone was in hysterics, including Albel who contributed a small snicker.

Cliff awoke with a start from the noise, and seeing he had an audience his jaw dropped and he looked down where the others were staring. There on the side of his exposed left buttcheek was his secret tattoo: a tacky crimson-coloured heart pierced by an arrow with the word '**MOM**' written on a banner flapping across it. All he needed was a little cupid to complete the ensemble.

A deep red immediately burst across Cliff's face like the guts of a squashed tomato and he felt like dying from embarrassment.

"HAHAHAHA...Cliff of all people has a Mom tattoo? Hahaha…you're never gonna hear the end of this from me," Mirage promised, tears streaming down her face. "I never knew you were such a momma's boy."

"It...it was a long time ago…" Cliff pleaded, pulling the blankets over himself. "I was really drunk, I don't even remember actually getting it…" With this he glared at Fayt, his eyes seething with loving rage.

"Momma's boy, momma's boy!" Sophia and Maria teased, revelling in Cliff's humiliation.

"Humourous and disturbing at the same time," Albel stated flatly. "The idiot never ceases to amaze."

"I actually think its kind of charming," Nel suggested, crossing her arms. Everyone stared at her. "What? Can't I make a joke?"

"No, you're Nel!" Fayt responded, laughing.

"OKAY! Enough of the peep show! Everyone back to their rooms before I come over there and beat you all to a pulp!"

Having decided they were even, Fayt ushered everyone away and closed the door.

"You sly little…"

But before Cliff could finish there was a knock at the door. Fayt had run and hid in the bathroom so Cliff got up and answered it, still in his PJ's and with his hair all tussled up. He immediately recognized the visitor as the perverted owner of the mansion Fayt had infiltrated.

"Hi, I've been searching around town for a lovely woman named Mirage and I'm wondering if she happens to be travelling with you?"

Pausing momentarily in thought, Cliff eventually gave the man an innocent handshake, loudly greeting him in this way: "Hi there! **I just jerked off**."

With that he slammed the door in the man's face. At first the guy stood stunned in the hallway with his nose against the door, staring at his hand in disgust. Finally, he let out a shrill shriek and swiftly bolted straight out of the inn, flailing his arms and heading for the relief of his bathroom sink.

Fayt heard the commotion and came out to see what was happening. Cliff was cracking himself up.

"Hahaha! You said your name was _Mirage_? Oh man, she's gonna wonder why some weirdo's trying to track her down. Boy is he gonna be in for a surprise if he ever finds her. WHAM! She's no pushover."

"So I've heard. So are we okay now? I didn't go too far did I?"

"Nah. It was all in good fun. How can I be mad at you? Last night was hot. And the tattoo...what can I say? My mom's awesome."

"And what do you say about telling the others that we're going out now?"

"Well, I guess there's no such thing as the 'ideal' time. Bring it on!"

**Woohoo! ****TO BE CONTINUED!**


	7. Chapter 7: Meadows & Love

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt + another secret one

Rating: PG-13

**Summary**: It's time to tell the rest of the crew that CliffxFayt is for real! How are they going to take it? Mirage at first thinks their confession is probably something silly. Later she reveals how she knew Cliff was into men. Maria is another story... But the chapter starts after all this happens, Fayt and Cliff are chillin at their secret meadow.

Shout Outs - _**Zelavril**_: Ya school's getting in the way of my writing! But i manage to make time. Less time to daydream about FaytxCliff is terrible! OMG i love the popsicle part. i laugh so much when i read it over. Btw, he totally has a MOM tattoo. It would be so 'Cliff' to have that :p _**Chaotic Distortion**_: Ya its so fun laughing at Cliff's expense! And weenie is a good word to describe Fayt :D _**SpectralWings**_: I hope you enjoyed the latest chapters! Oh and i love it when you girls tell me what ur fav. part of the chapter was.

**Note**: Ok so for the first part ive decided to shake it up a bit. I'm going back to my more descriptive writing from earlier chapters. Its all about the imagination! Pretend you're there! Oh and its cold and wet here so thats why im dreaming of summer. And i have this weird thing for meadows. Its like a longing, I imagine being there and all is well. And for the sunset i'm describing one i actually saw here a few weeks ago. it was insane.

**Chapter 7:**

You know that feeling. That fabulous feeling of pure bliss. We've all experienced it at one point or another in our lives, perhaps while relaxing somewhere ethereal or with that special someone. Well at this moment, that very emotion was pulsing through every fiber of Fayt's being. He was basking in the gentle warmth of the late afternoon sun as it drenched and nuzzled his skin like the touch of a mother on her newborn baby. He could feel the wondrous humidity pressing against him and squeezing the sweat from his pores. Intertwined in the heat, a breathtaking scent swirled around him and into his nose — a medley of flowers one thousand times better than the most expensive perfume. And on his tongue was the taste of that potpourri of breath exhaled by the magical landscape around him.

A loud sigh came from the man he was resting his head on, who was also lying on the ground.

Bit by bit, Fayt opened his eyes from his soothing daytime snooze and studied his surroundings. They were dozing in a flowering meadow outside of Aquios, taking advantage of the clear skies after a brisk summer rain. Blinking lazily, Fayt glanced through the slender wildgrasses that surrounded his resting place and watched as they swayed to and fro in a breeze that pleasantly brushed his skin and spilled through his sapphire locks.

Sitting up suddenly, Fayt rested a hand on Cliff's chest — the latter still sound asleep. _Nothing out of place_.

Dandelion seeds were sailing around in the wind, like fairies searching for a new home, and they undulated across rising layers of air, dancing in circles in the balmy heat of day. His abrupt movement had sprung several pink petals up off the ground and they spun above his head, surfing the airy waves of a whirlwind. The light of an early moon reflected off a single drop of water on a petal in front of the bluenette's face, giving the illusion an ivory eye was watching him as it descended into his lap. Yes, the moon sat high in the sky, pushing and pulling the ocean nearby with invisible hands and guiding it up and down the beach.

_A meadow of dreams…_

…perched on the edge of the ocean's grasp. The water this evening was as smooth as glass, sparkling and refracting the setting sun and wispy clouds overhead, creating what looked like a whole other world in a simple reflection. Looking off in the distance ahead of him, Fayt saw towering firs waving in the wind with their branches enveloping the outer rim of the meadow and further behind them still stood the grand snow-capped Mountains of Barr.

**_Our secret little meadow_**, off the beaten path, a place only he and Cliff knew.

Fayt was actually sitting on a round patch of earth stuffed to the brim with grasses, yellow daisies, lilac forget-me-nots, and ruby snapdragons. There were several of these tiny islands scattered across the small pond that surrounded them, beyond which the meadow continued on unimpeded (to the sea on one side and the forest on another). At one end of the pool stood an aged, stone cabin complete with a door dangling off its hook and a waterwheel turning a babbling brook that ebbed peacefully towards the pond. After surveying the scenery around him, Fayt felt refreshed and gave his head a waggle.

"Cliff," Fayt said softly, shaking his love with his hand. "Cliff, wake up."

"Uhhhh."

The bluenette leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the nose, hoping that might end his slumber. Instead the blond grunted again, moving an arm as if to push something away from him, and started talking in his sleep.

"No…get away…not all at once!", he mumbled. "...he would be mad if ya did that…STOP IT!"

Taken aback, Fayt covered his mouth to suppress his giggling. _I know..._

"**CLIFF! **Albel's trying to attack me! He says he wants to sex me up!" the young man finally yelled, shattering the silence like a random battle in Final Fantasy X.

Cliff's eyes sprung open as speedily as a mousetrap. "Huh? What? Where is he? I'm gonna lay the smackdown…"

Seeing that he was being duped again, the blond shoved Fayt over into the grass. The latter was incessantly laughing while rolling around on the ground. After he was finished, he looked up at Cliff who was folding his arms and staring at him with an annoyed look.

"Sorry, I didn't know how else to wake you up sleepyhead. Did you know you were just talking in your sleep?"

"What?! I was?" the blond said, squinting his eyes in thought and shaking his head. "Must have been just _hilarious_ from the look of it."

"Oh no, I was laughing about what I said."

"Oh, I see. Well...I was dreaming that we had gone to visit Earth and these four girls recognized me as the leader of Quark and they ran over and were tryin' to kiss me! At the same time! And you were just over the way and about to turn around when I woke up."

"Wow, quite the popular one. Even in your dreams."

"Ya, its weird. It was so clear too. I can even remember they were telling me their names...I'm pretty sure they were...**Zelavril, Choatic, Spectral, **and** Yuuwaku**! One had a popsicle, the other chocolate spread, another was holding a Spanish Lolita dress, and the last was holding a wiener. They had a strange look in their eyes, I'm not sure what they had planned. Weird…"

"Well, they better back off cause I'm your biggest fan," Fayt declared, poking Cliff in the chest.

"No doubt."

They both fell silent, ready to enjoy the scene unfolding in front of them. The sun was beginning its descent behind the far-off mountains. Fayt edged towards the pond and dipped his toes in, swishing them back and forth with not a care in the world. The water was one step down from lukewarm and it sent icy shivers into his feet and up his legs, but his fire within pushed back this unwanted intrusion. Cliff moved forward as well and pulled Fayt close and they watched the sunset together, the blond's arm wrapped snugly around the other's back.

It began high above them in the sky — a blue canvas for Nature, the preeminent artist. Delicate, wispy clouds were painted with carefree strokes from one horizon to the other. They floated as if they were giant feathers curled at the edges, lost from the plumage of a mythical phoenix soaring through the heavens. The colours of the setting sun spurt across the clouds, slowly spreading like spilled ink through an absorbent paper towel. There was haze hanging in the woods nearby and as the sun dipped down further its intense colours began to stream through the trees. Brilliant light filtered through each branch and broke into countless sunbeams that shone down across the meadow below and bounced off the water in the pond. The mélange of colour in the fog fooled the spectators' eyes and made it seem as if each tree had split into two — like when one's eyes go out of focus.

Fayt was now dipping his feet into the wonder of the setting sun itself, swishing and swirling its radiance as he pleased.

Without notice, a huge parrot-like bird burst over their heads and flew across the meadow heading from the ocean to the trees. Its red, orange, and yellow feathers blurred together so it looked as if a lone streak of fire was blazing across the sky. With the colours of passion streaming behind it in the light mist, the bird swooped straight upwards as it reached the forest's edge into the direct path of the sun. With wings and sunset like a single torch, it flew off into the coming night.

The resplendence of the early evening faded as the last drops of light were disappearing behind the mountains. The darker colours still remained, those purples and blues hanging off the clouds in a blackening sky. Fayt turned to Cliff and mouthed 'I love you' before pressing his lips against the blond's own and feeling Cliff's tongue in return. The final ray of daylight glimmered through the small space between their faces before vanishing as quickly as someone being transported to the Diplo.

"No need to leave yet, right?" Cliff asked dreamily, after finishing the kiss.

"Nope. Let's lie down some more and watch the stars come out, one by one."

Pushing Fayt down onto his back beneath the tall grasses, Cliff followed him down and continued the kiss from before. Peaceful ocean waves crashed onto the beach nearby and drowned out the alluring sound of their lips locking together.

-------------------------------------------

_**The day before…**_

Having made a rather uneventful trek from Airyglyph to the Sacred City of Aquios, the group was enjoying a leisurely picnic at one of the majestic viewpoints that overlooked the canyons and the ocean below. Fayt's mind was off somewhere else as he munched on his food. Even Cliff was deep in thought. They had decided they were going to tell the others they were in love, but were unsure of the reaction they would receive and whether it would strain the relative harmony of the party. Their relationship would be easily accepted in the year SD 772 — especially on the more progressive developed planets. On Elicoor II, such a coupling was common, but not flaunted.

_It's now or never…. _Fayt decided to get the ball rolling.

"Okay listen up guys, me and Cliff have something we want to tell you." Eyebrows rose up in curiosity all around the picnic blanket. Maria was the only one who completely froze as her mouth stopped in mid-chew.

"What? You and Cliff want to start up a cross dressing troupe like Peppita and travel the galaxy, me as your manager?" Mirage joked, grinning warmly.

"No! You're the lead. 'That's Mr. Mirage Koas to you, punk.' I can see it now…" Cliff responded, enjoying where this was going.

"I can do a mean dance, as I think I've proven to you when we used to go clubbing on Klaus. Speaking of which...I think...yes, I remember now the night you must've gotten that tattoo!" she said as her eyes widened.

"OKAY NOW. Let's move on to the real thing we wanna tell ya," the blond ordered firmly, hoping to god that Mirage would give it up. Luckily, she just smiled at his scorching glare.

An impatient Albel interjected before Fayt could even open his mouth. "Don't leave me hanging, maggot. Lets hear what this is all about. You and Fittir haven't become buttbuddies have you?"

Cliff started hesitantly nodding his head until Fayt elbowed him hard in the side. Mouths began to drop in succession.

"NO! Why would you think such a thing Albel?" the bluenette yelled as Cliff switched from nodding to shaking his head.

"Perhaps because you two spend far too much time together. I can't imagine for the life of me why you would enjoy the continuous company of that fool anyhow…" Albel sneered, pointing at Cliff. What was that? Did the blond sense a hint of jealousy in that remark?

"Stuff it 'Bel. By the way, you might want to reposition that skirt you're wearing cause there's a little something hanging out there..."

Albel immediately shifted his cape(?), the slit having moved dangerously close to his groin.

Sophia had caught a glance and looked like she was going to be sick. Trying to poke the image out of her mind she managed to offer feebly: "I have a theory about what they might be wanting to tell us…"

"**NO! ENOUGH!**" Maria and Nel shouted in unison. "Let Fayt speak!" the latter continued.

Poor Fayt was starting to tear up as this certainly wasn't the way he had imagined this friends acting when he was about to tell them something so important...so _meaningful_ to him. Seeing his sweetheart losing his composure, Cliff reached an arm around him and gave him a reassuring side hug. Someone in the group said 'We're sorry, we get out of hand easily, we thought it was just something trivial' (he couldn't tell who through his blurry vision), which made him feel better. Wiping his eyes, Fayt could see everyone was now looking at him sympathetically.

"Ummm...well…we just wanted everyone to know that me and Cliff are going out together...and we're in **love**…" Fayt finally announced, his mood brightening as the words escaped his mouth, especially on the last one.

"What he said," Cliff added, beaming.

There was a short pause as everybody digested the information. Mirage broke the silence.

"Wow! That's wonderful! You picked good, Cliff."

"Ya, I'm so happy for you two," Sophia exclaimed, jumping up and giving Fayt a bear hug.

"Me too. It's not easy declaring something like that," Nel replied. "I know, as some of my friends have gone through it."

"...Guess she's got a point," Albel admitted, his demeanor softening. "You guys got courage, something I appreciate in men. I don't see enough of that around anymore."

Mirage added her further support: "We're totally behind you. And don't think this will change how we think about you one bit. Remember, you're one step ahead of all of us when it comes to love." The crew nodded in agreement.

"Congratulations," Maria said flatly. She got up and gave both Fayt and Cliff brief, formal hugs. Then she sauntered off in the direction of the inn.

A superb idea had just popped into Sophia's head and replaced the icky image of Albel's privates. "Well, then? What do you all say? Drinks all around tonight in celebration?"

"This may in fact be the first time I've ever agreed with something that came out of that pretty mouth," Albel snickered.

"Geez...thanks guys. I don't think we could be happier."

"Okay then, I'll go see where Maria has gone off too and then we'll meet up at the pub," Fayt decided, gazing up at his boyfriend.

"Sounds like a plan!"

The others hung around to clean up the picnic while Fayt headed over to the inn. After tidying up, Cliff and Mirage led the way to the pub, chatting about what had just happened.

"You know, I think I always knew Cliff..." Mirage confessed, "...that you were really into men, more than any woman you ever went out with."

"Oh ya smarty-pants? What exactly was it that gave me away?"

"Well for one thing...there's the way you dress…" she said, looking him up and down.

"Whaddaya mean _the way I dress_!? What about it?" Cliff responded, his voice heading upwards.

Mirage shook her big, braided hair about. "Come on Cliff, you're always wearing that skin-tight leather suit, making it look like your chest and abs are gonna **burst out **at any moment. And what about the pants? What's going on with that weird crotch opening?"

"Well, ummm….I guess you kinda have a point," he replied, grinning. "It focuses Fayt in on the fine family jewels…"

"See? I know you too well. Looks like you could work in some gay leather nightclub or something…"

"HEY NOW! Come on that's pushin' it." They both laughed.

"But anyways, more seriously...what's it been like for you all these years then? You must have been quite confused," Mirage asked, ready for some explanation from her long-time friend.

"Ya, I guess I've known for a quite a while, but never realized it…"

The two continued the conversation, delving into Cliff's past and what it was like for him to be someone he wasn't.

-------------------------------------------

Over at the inn, Fayt hadn't found Maria as he'd hoped. _I was sure she went in that direction_. Feeling tired, he collapsed on his bed and looked out the window. Dark storm clouds were seeping towards the grand city from off in the distance and the light was turning a strange yellowish tinge.

_Thank god that's done with_, he thought. Finally he and Cliff could act naturally around the others, and show how much they were in love.

He got up again and decided to change his clothes before heading back out to search for Maria. _What's her problem anyway? That was very uncharacteristic of her_…

Pulling off his shirt, he rummaged around his pack looking for another, when suddenly he heard the floorboards creaking outside his door. For reasons unknown, he got a cold shiver up his spine. Expecting a knock, what Fayt got instead was the door being flung open and a dark figure standing in the hallway shadows. She stepped forward into the pale light — it was Maria — but there was something strange about her aura. Her long azure hair was split into several thick strands that flew around her from the door's gust and in her eyes was the determination of a ferocious lion.

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking first Mar…"

"Shhh!" she ordered. "(Muttering under her breath)...**if it's the last thing I do**!" (Unfortunately, Fayt couldn't make out the first part of what she said).

She flew forwards and shoved a shocked Fayt onto the bed, holding him down as she moved her face ever closer to his exposed chest…

**OMG! TO BE CONTINUED!**


	8. Chapter 8: Maria's Straightening

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt + MariaxFayt (sort of)

Rating: PG-13

**Summary**: What is up with Maria? She's acting very strangely and it's freaking Fayt out. After that interesting incident, Cliff and Fayt are in their meadow watching the stars come out. What starts as a romantic night turns sour after some impromptu swimming...

Shout Outs - _**Zelavril**_: Haha you're totally the one with the dress cuz u suggested it! I liked Maria in the game but I thought she was a bit of a bitch sometimes so you get to see that here! As for Albel...that's next ch. ;D And thank you so much for the compliment about my descriptive writing, it gives me some much needed confidence :D BTW, i saw ur profile and Haru's my fav. Furuba character, he's awesome (and I'm spaced out too)! And Kyo second! I'm gonna read Gravitation next. _**Chaotic Distortion**_: Ha, I used 'manhandled' in this chapter! Thanks for the inspiration! I agree, Mirage is the quiet genius. _**SpectralWings**_: I love the Mom tattoo, I'm so glad I came up with it. I'm so happy you liked my meadow! And Cliff is so hot. **Yaoiboi13**: Thanks for the favourite! I saw ur myspace and I laughed about the Cliff quote! I TOTALLY AGREE. so i put some more descriptions of him in this ch. for u!

**Chapter 8:**

"MARIA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" he shrieked, pushing her away from him like she had the plague.

"I told you. **I'm straightening you out if it's the last thing I do**!" she growled, trying to get her paws all over Fayt.

The bluenette was a little dumbfounded, to say the least. But he couldn't reply because Maria had pressed her hand over his mouth and managed to get close enough to start kissing his chest! _This is ridiculous_. Fayt tried to think of the easiest way to get out of the unfortunate position he found himself in. At first he thought of yelling '**RAPE!**" and just throwing her off, but then he thought he might burst out laughing since he was being manhandled by a girl, and besides Maria would probably get hurt.

Maybe he could just indulge her fantasy and go along with it. _I could imagine she was a hot guy...with man-boobs bigger than Cliff's...and a vagina. Okay maybe that won't work. But then again the only way I'm getting a kid with my hair colour is if I..._

By this time Maria had slid upwards and she was kissing him up the side of his cheek and on his temple. He had to admit that it didn't feel terrible. The smell of her hair was intoxicating — a fruity fusion of scents that wavered between faint and intense as her hair brushed across his face. But then it started to tickle his naked chest and he knew he would have to do something soon. She rested a cold, clammy hand on Fayt's lean bicep, which sent ley lines of goose bumps shooting out in all directions. It felt as if she was reaching inside of him, violating the warmth that emanated from within. _OH MY GOD, she's licking my nose! And she has her hand on my belt buckle…_

In one foul swoop Maria flung the belt loose and tossed it onto the floor. All Fayt needed now was corny music from a porno to start playing to complete the zany scene unfolding in front of him. He grabbed the hand over his mouth.

"MARIA TRAYDOR! Stop molesting me! Now! Or I'm going to hit you with one of my more nasty symbology spells," the bluenette promised, matching her fiery eyes with his own.

At this Maria seemed to calm down ever so slightly, but she definitely hadn't given up yet.

"Fayt, I love you. You're the only one that has been through the same experiments as me, the only person who can understand what I've endured. I'm not losing you to my gross step-father!"

"He's not gross!! He's kind, loving, supportive...but that's beside the point. So what? You think that by sleeping with me you can turn me straight?" Fayt could feel his anger building up inside, looking for a way out.

"Anything's possible. You just need the touch of a woman to realize what you want. How can you say you like men if you haven't even been with a girl yet? This will work."

"NO, Maria. That's insane! IT WON'T WORK. I was born this way. You can't change who I'm attracted to, who turns me on, who I love. Really...I thought _I_ was stubborn! Listen to yourself! Since when do you spout such irrational things: 'Anything's possible'. Ya right, snap out of it!" The bluenette shook the other and briefly thought that maybe splashing her with water might help. _Water mixed with manure_.

Luckily, Maria seemed to be slowly regaining her composure. She sighed heavily and stared out the window at the light rain straining down the window in narrow rivulets. "I guess you're right, Fayt. God I feel so stupid now. I was just so shocked that you and Cliff are actually a couple...my emotions took over. I thought we were building something special, but maybe it was really more one-sided than mutual."

"Maria, I think you're great, I mean you've taught me so much about myself and you're a natural leader and such a strong person. Although sometimes you just freak me out. Like now. But anyways, I seriously don't have any feelings for you, beyond our friendship."

She smiled sheepishly and got off Fayt to stand at the end of the bed. Fayt continued: "You really need to bring that passion I just saw into battle! Those eyes of a lion...I've never seen you like that before."

"Ya, well, once I get my mind on something there's nothing stopping me."

"Well, if you're looking to go out with someone who can understand you, there's always **Sophia**. She's been through it too," Fayt offered, smiling mischievously.

Maria made a funny giggling noise in her throat. "No thanks, I'd like to remain sane for the duration of this adventure."

The young man snickered in agreement. "By the way, do you know that Lieber has the biggest crush on you? Maybe you should focus your feelings elsewhere. Give him a chance."

"What!? Really? Lieber? I guess he's kind of cute, in an annoying sort of way..."

"...Is there any other way? I'm pretty sure Cliff would say the same about me." They both laughed, a cover for the true embarrassment they were both feeling right about now.

"I'm gonna go now," she said, pointing both hands towards the door.

"Ummm...okay so meet you at the bar after I get some clothes on?"

"Uh huh. I think we need to get very drunk to forget this whole incident."

"I think I'm gonna need a little more than that! Got any pot?" Fayt joked — at least Maria thought he did. As she walked out of the room, head lowered, she heard him yell after her: "If you and Sophia hook up I promise I won't try to jump you when you're changing and try to have sex with you!"

-------------------------------------------

_**After celebrating at the pub, the two lovers headed to the meadow and watched the sun go down…**_

Cliff was resting his head contentedly on Fayt's stomach beneath the wildgrasses as the first stars began to shimmer in the clear night sky. The bluenette affectionately stroked his lover's hair as he concentrated on the blackness in front of him.

"Look at that one!"

The earliest star to make an appearance was one that flashed different colours, like a crystal ornament spinning on a Christmas tree as the morning light filters through a snow-lined window. For some reason, Cliff liked those kind of stars the most. They were ever-changing, exciting, beautiful — just like the man he had fallen in love with. And for one millisecond at a time, it would shine a brilliant green, making it seem like Fayt's captivating eyes had been eternally etched into the cosmos.

All was quiet apart from the gentle hum of insects darting to and fro across the meadow. The ocean seemed to be watching as well as its waves gradually shrank and disappeared.

And suddenly the sky was alive with lights. Stars began to pop out here and there and everywhere. Fayt couldn't keep up his pointing at every new one. As the true darkness of the night approached, their luminance exploded as they turned from tiny crystals to sparkling diamonds. It was as if the couple had stumbled upon a hidden cave in the Bequerel Mines and they were marvelling at the roof of this cavern where precious jewels stuck out of the celestial dirt — a treasure trove waiting for someone to discover it. But Cliff and Fayt didn't feel constricted as if they were in a cave, rather they felt alive and free, the thin atmosphere the only barrier between them and the boundless universe beyond. The best part was, the stars above weren't out of reach. Somewhere up there the Diplo sat in waiting with Peppita, Roger, and Adray probably driving the crew crazy.

"AHHHHH!"

Cliff jumped at the bluenette's startling scream and his eyes followed Fayt's arm to where he was pointing. The Klausian caught sight of a shooting star in midstream, falling from the heavens in a fiery ball of fury.

The blond tilted his head to look up at his companion. "Y'know, an old friend once told me that shooting stars are lost souls searching for an escape from the emptiness of space. So when they find a planet, they streak across the sky in delight, one final goodbye to this world as we know it. Then they join the lifestream of the planet to be born again one day, so they too can wonder at the awe of the universe."

"Aww, that's deep Cliff," the young one said fondly. "Never forget things like that, no matter how silly they sound. I assume you don't believe any of that though?"

"Nah, you know I'm an atheist. Here and now, that's all we have. And I'm making good use of it," Cliff responded, turning back towards the stars.

Fayt actually liked the whole gaia theory of life. Returning to the planet after death, enjoying an afterlife before being reborn again through the lifestream. Yes, all evidence pointed against that, but looking up at the sky tonight gave him a far off feeling that this couldn't be _it_. There would be more, he would transcend the sands of time. All those scientist were looking up into the miracle of eternity when they should be looking down to what gave them life.

Now, Earth's galaxy wasn't the only one with a milky way. Indeed, as the stars became denser in the sky it appeared as if they were joining together in ritual dance to drink from a misty cloud of milk — the latter a white blanket tucking the tiny worlds below into bed. The resulting mix dazzled the onlookers' eyes like no human-made fireworks show ever possibly could.

_But tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet?  
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day  
And head back towards the Milky Way  
And tell me, did you sail across the sun?  
Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded  
And that heaven is overrated  
Tell me, did you fall from a shooting star  
One without a permanent scar  
And then you missed me while you were lookin' for yourself out there  
- Train 'Drops of Jupiter' (in Cliff's mind)_

"Hey! I got an idea! Wanna go skinny dippin'?" Cliff said out of nowhere.

_Skinny dipping? Where does he come up with these things_.

"Come on...you gotta live a little. Seize the moment. Be spontaneous! All that shit," the blond declared, tugging at the waistline of Fayt's pants. The latter rolled his eyes.

"Okay...if you insist. I wouldn't mind seeing a bit of your hotness out here in the open."

"I bet ya wouldn't," the Klausian replied, grabbing Fayt's hand and rubbing it over his muscular chest.

Fayt laughed and heaved the big lug off him before pouncing to his feet and leaping across the pond from their tiny island to the main meadow. He sprinted through the wildflowers as they brushed across his legs and petals flew up behind him, flooding the air with a jumble of blossoms. Cliff had risen as well and was now chasing the bluenette to the beach. Fayt let out a girly scream as the blond caught up with him and tackled him to the sand: **THUMP**. Unfortunately, their play-fighting was getting sand where no sand should ever go. But Fayt was no wimp and he managed to get out from under Cliff and trip him up before piling on top of his back.

"I'm gonna strip now," the blond said matter-of-factly. He rolled over so Fayt was squashed into the sand and took off his shirt by stretching high into the air.

The bluenette's world went into slow motion as his eyes locked in on Cliff's upper body and followed his muscles as they went from strong and stretched to bulging and relaxed. Cliff tensed his right pec and gave his boyfriend a pouty smile. Peeling off the rest of his skin-tight leather clothing, he immediately ran for the ocean and all Fayt saw was his picture perfect ass disappearing beneath the mellow waves.

Fayt leisurely took off his clothes, taking a brief look around for prying eyes (like there would be any), and then he drew a little sketch in the sand: **'Fayt + Cliff forever' **in the middle of a big heart.

He waded out into the shallows with his arms clutched to his chest for warmth and finally jumped in. Cliff was already out really far, swimming laps back and forth. He came closer though and proceeded to send a gigantic splash hurtling through the air towards Fayt's face. Inhaling deeply after being soaked, the latter frowned at the blond and swam over to return the favour. He then quickly swam back towards the shore.

"Hey...I found a warm spot here! Where ya going?" the Klausian yelled.

"I did that," the bluenette responded, chuckling to himself.

"Wha…? EWWW, awww. Gross man!" the blond whined, swimming away from the pee water. "I had a hunch that wasn't a natural hot spot."

"Shoulda followed that hunch, Cliff, shoulda followed that hunch."

After playing around a bit more, Cliff headed for shore. The handsome Klausian — a god in his own right — emerged from the depths as the sea poured over his shoulders and cascaded down his bulky arms, following the sweeping arc of his beautifully defined muscles. Streams of salt water dribbled down his chest, circled his erect nipples, and plunged through the deep curves of his abs as he ran his hands through his golden hair before shaking it as dry as he could. It was as if the droplets knew they had found something special since many still hung to his body, glistening under the canopy of stars.

As he waded through the shallows, Fayt followed behind and jumped onto him to get a piggyback out of the ocean. Cliff's skin felt slick and silky against the young man's own and the lingering moisture added another dimension of sensation that sent rousing tingles rushing to every corner of Fayt's body. Being this close to Cliff, his skin warm and satiny, tiny wet hairs spread across it, transported Fayt to a memory of the most divine thing he had ever touched: an unimaginably soft and huggable puppy his grandma used to have when he was little. _Haha. That's what I'll call him, Clifford, the big blond dog! Then again...I think he would kill me if I ever suggested that. _**Clifford** ran around on the beach trying to make the other dizzy as Fayt hung on for dear life while bouncing up and down. He felt a welcome stiffening in his groin as it rubbed against…

"SHIT! There's a monster coming down the beach! IT'S HUGE!" Cliff bellowed, letting Fayt down and running for his clothes.

They both scrambled to slip on their armor but didn't make it in time. Just as Cliff put on his gauntlets, but not yet his shirt, the creature ambled up to them — it was an irate blue dragon. Fayt's sword was up by the meadow so he would have to make do with his magic.

The dragon snarled and snapped its teeth, lunging at each of them. Cliff was infuriated. "You fuckin' ruined our moment, dumbass! You're gonna get a pounding!"

He raced towards it and managed a three piece combo attack. He flew at it in a burst of flames, _FIERY TACKLE_, then assailed it with all his rage, _FISTS OF FURY_, before leaping into the air and crushing it with his _AERIAL ASSULT_. The dragon stumbled back and was clearly hurt but still alive. Cliff glowered at it as he stood in his battle stance, legs apart.

"STONE RAIN," Fayt yelled as massive chunks of rock materialized in the air and tumbled onto the dragon, wounding it in several areas.

The creature was in critical condition and thus unleashed a desperate strike. It clawed Cliff in the chest as he ran towards it again, leaving a slit the length of a finger on his right pec. He stumbled back clutching it to stop the bleeding as the red liquid oozed through his fingers and splattered over the ground.

"FIRST AID! EXPLOSION!" the bluenette screamed, looking worriedly over at his love. The green sparkle of the cure spell washed over Cliff's body and stopped the bleeding. The dragon was then swallowed up in the destructive power of the second spell as smoke and sparks flew everywhere and the noise rumbled through the night. Unfortunately, just as it was destroyed by Explosion, the dragon sent out a spell that knocked Fayt to the ground and he hit his head on a small rock and went unconscious.

"FAYYYT!" the Klausian howled as an awful gut-wrenching feeling spread through his stomach.

He ran over and knelt down to hold Fayt in his lap. After seeing his sweetie was unharmed, just out cold, the blond sighed and went back to put on his shirt, grabbed the other's sword, and picked Fayt up in his arms, carrying him like a baby. _Just our luck_, he thought. _Aww, he looks so sweet when he's sleeping. Stupid 'effin dragons. Now I guess I'll be pleasuring myself tonight_ (A/N: Ha! I'm not sure whether he is joking or not).

"You'll be just fine won't you," he said out loud as he ran along. He noticed the heart in the sand and a big smile spread across his face. He chuckled as it sent his heart a flutter, plus he was relieved it didn't say **'MOM'** in the middle. Fayt was shivering ever so slightly since his hair was still soaking wet so the Klausian held him close to his body as he dashed across the meadow towards Aquios.

**TO BE CONTINUED!**


	9. Chapter 9: Albel's Advantage

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt + AlbelxFayt

Rating: R - Warning: Yaoi, please don't read if you don't like this, there is a mild sex scene.

**Summary**: We find out if Fayt's okay after his little fall, as Cliff explains what happened and tells an interesting story about his past. Then it's off to the pub for a night of drinking and dancing...and what do y'know...Albel's got something sneaky planned. Fayt gets really drunk...well you'll see.

Shout Outs - _**Zel**_: HA! You got the Clifford reference! I wasn't sure if anyone would. LOL at the prying eyes. I had to look up some of the linguistic terms you wrote about. I'm like 'what's a lexical field??' HAHA. Scary thing is I draw alot of the funny stuff in the story from my own life. Ya, dont ask. And I actually write some of the descriptive parts WHILE im at school (in the sidelines of my notes)! so i make good use of that torture time away from my story :D I'm on volume 13 of Furuba, btw. **_Chaotic_**: Hope you liked this chapter! Can't wait to hear more reviews from you. _**Spectral**_: Haha. I'm trying to think of as many ways as possible of describing the hottness that is Cliff. I figure i should do more Fayt descriptions soon! **Yaoiboi13**: I'm glad u liked that chapter! I wish there were more ppl like Cliff in real life (sigh). I hope you become one of my regular reviewers :)

**Chapter 9 (just a reminder - italics are thoughts):**

Fayt's head was pounding as he pressed a hand to his forehead and let out a loud sigh. He managed to pry open a pair of eyelids that felt as heavy as rocks, revealing eyes that were bloodshot and out of focus. _Ugh, what happened? _Concentrating on the timber roof in front of him, Fayt was thankful to be lying on his bed at the inn. The room began to whirl around him like an out of control amusement ride so he quickly closed his eyes in hope that the dizziness would go away. Unfortunately, at that very moment he realized that he **really** had to go pee.

Someone stirred and grunted beside him on the bed. _Thank goodness Cliff is watching over me, why do I always do this? _Fayt rolled over and cautiously opened one eye again…

And staring right back at him was the man himself...Albel Nox. He lay there gazing intently at Fayt, head resting on one hand while his bicoloured hair dangled down and tickled the sheets on the bed.

Springing his other eye open, the bluenette glared in disbelief as the man in front of him split into two like the trees in the meadow during yesterday's sunset. _I'm dreaming...I have to be… _Fayt proceeded to pinch himself on the side of his belly, praying that he was not actually lying drunk in bed next to Albel. Panicking ever so slightly since he clearly wasn't waking up, Fayt hesitantly extended an arm to poke Albel in the face and see whether his eyes were deceiving him.

"Oww. What do you think you're doing, Leingod?"

Fayt rolled back over and smothered his face in his hands. _How did I get myself into this…_

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_**That same morning…**_

Fayt jolted awake and sat up in his bed. He immediately noticed a sharp pain from the rock he had fallen on and thought how it felt like horses had trampled over his head. He reached around to rub a hand carefully over the bump on the back of his skull. Racking his memory for clues, Fayt tried to remember how he had ended up at the Aquios inn when the last thing he could recall was fighting a dragon by the meadow.

A slender beam of light suddenly shot through a slit in the blinds and Fayt realized it was the crack of dawn. Shielding his eyes from the brightness, he noticed that Cliff was fast asleep — head nodding forwards, feet rested on the bed — on a chair beside him. He reached for the glass of water on the bedside table and took a swig. There was also some sort of icepack there as well, so he took that too and pressed it on the back of his head. He briefly wondered whether to let Cliff sleep or to wake him up and ask him what had happened. His curiosity got the better of him.

"Cliff...hey...wake up," the bluenette said, shaking the other's foot.

The blond awoke easily and sat up straight before stretching his arms way up in the air and exhaling deeply.

"Hey Fayt, how ya feeling?"

"Ummm...okay I guess. Why do I have a big bruise on my head and what happened when we were fighting that dragon? And how did we get from there to here?"

"Whoa! Slow down kid. One at a time," the blond urged, waving a hand in front of him. "First of all, that moronic dragon hit you with a spell just before we killed it and you fell and knocked your head on a rock. I was shitting a brick there for a second. But you were just out cold so I carried you all the way back to Aquios. By the way, thanks for the first aid spell." Cliff touched his left hand to his shirt where the dragon had clawed him (he had slept with all his clothes on).

Fayt sat silent for a moment before responding. "Thanks Cliff. You carried me all the way back? What would I do without my big strong boyfriend," he wondered as a smile crept across his face. "What is this about a healing spell? Are _you_ okay?"

"Ya, it's just a scratch." The blond took off his shirt and let Fayt see the cut on his chest.

"JUST A STRATCH! Cliff it looks really bad! Did you clean it out at all?"

"Eh, it's fine, don't sweat it."

Fayt's eyebrows were winkled up in concern and for a second he completely forgot about his headache. "Here Cliff, lie down and I'll fix it up."

Before he could complain, the bluenette had forced the Klausian onto the bed and found some disinfectant in their travelling bag. Hopping back on the bed, Fayt sat cross-legged beside his buddy and started dabbing the liquid on the wound. Predictably, the blond let out a yelp and clenched his fists as Fayt rubbed the gash above his left nipple. "Such a baby," he sighed under his breath. Luckily, Cliff didn't hear him.

After finishing his work, Fayt fell back down onto the bed as his head started throbbing again.

"Thanks. We make a good team don't we? ...Does this make your head feel better?" The blond gave his sweetheart a passionate kiss, meeting the other's tongue and twisting his own around it.

"...Yes, actually. And knowing you were here watching over me all night, it makes me truly happy...I want you to know that. I'm so clumsy sometimes. I bet you've never fallen on a rock and gone unconscious during battle."

"Fayt, it's not your fault. Don't beat yourself up over it. And no I haven't, but there was this one time I really hurt my neck. It's kinda dirty. You wanna hear?" Fayt nodded, wondering what this was about.

"Well...I was sort of masturbating to porn on my comfy chair in my room on the Diplo, this was before I came to find you on Vanguard III, and let's just say that I got a _little too _excited when I came and I threw my neck backwards really hard and seriously killed it! Oh man it hurt so much I couldn't move my head afterwards. And then, to top it off, the next day it was still stiff so the crew kept asking me why I couldn't turn my head. **So** embarrassing…"

Fayt laughed through his nose and reached out to stroke his lover's neck. "See? It's a good thing you have me so you don't have to do that anymore."

"Heh. Ya," the blond replied, eyes wandering across the room.

"So what were you watching?"

"Oh the porno? **Manrammer**." Fayt started snickering. "Shut up, it was good!"

"Haha, ya I know. I've seen it," the bluenette shot back. "I thought they named it after you?"

Shocked such words could leave Fayt's mouth, Cliff gently shoved the young man and growled: "OOHHH! You're gonna get it kid!"

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After reuniting with the rest of the group and telling their story over again to Sophia, who was really worried about the bruise (not so much about Cliff's), Fayt and Cliff spent the rest of the day lolling around at one of the lookouts in Aquios. Mirage and Maria had drawn up some plans for the crew for that night which included going out for dinner and then heading to the pub for the evening. For the next day, they had bought tickets to a play about the history of the Aquarian Kingdom which had received rave reviews.

Initially, Fayt was apprehensive about going along with everyone because of his head, but by nightfall it was feeling much better and he figured that with a few drinks he could forget all about it.

Even though they all knew that Albel didn't enjoy going out to eat, he was awfully quiet that evening at the restaurant, and also at the tavern. He sat all by himself at a table next to the others, who were having one hell of a time. They had managed to persuade Nel to drink much more than she usually did and she was now out on the dance floor with Cliff jamming to the funky music. There was a good sized crowd for this weekday evening. Fayt and Sophia chatted with each other, the latter reminiscing about this unbelievable chocolate bar she had bought from one of the town's vendors. Maria and Mirage were having a competition to see who could down the most shots before giving up. Cliff eventually tried to get Albel onto the dance floor but he would have none of that. Instead he just sat there with his beer, alternating between staring at Fayt and laughing quietly at how the normally somber Nel was working up a storm with her 'creative' moves on the dance floor.

Albel had kept his true feelings locked up the day that Cliff and Fayt had professed to everyone that they were in love. Albel had never believed in labels — in his past as the captain of the Black Brigade he had had lovers from both sexes, sometimes more than one at a time. Typically, these relationships were forced rather than natural. But once he met Fayt and got over his initial resentment of losing a battle to him, he started to rather like him, though he would hardly admit it out loud. And now that he knew Cliff liked him too, he felt like he had some competition to liven up the chase.

Putting his thoughts on hold, Albel noticed that Cliff had dragged Sophia out to dance so he could collapse into her seat next to Fayt. _The bumbling fool…_ Unfortunately, it was too noisy for him to hear what they spoke about next.

"Hey Cliff, looks like you're enjoying yourself as usual. By the way, don't even think of trying to take me out there dancing," the bluenette warned. The blond gave him an exhausted look and just shook his head. Fayt continued on as his vision started blurring: "Oh, I'm really starting to feel the vodka now...can you pass me some of that cucumber over there?"

There was a large plate of munchies on their table, including chips, pretzels, shrimp, and veggies and dip.

"I've got a cucumber here for you…" the blond teased as he cupped his crotch in his hand.

Fayt was not impressed. "Cliff, seriously, pass the veggies."

"Come on," the Klausian pleaded, as he almost fell out of his chair from tipping it back. "I got a big, hard cucumber right here all ripe and ready for you…"

"**CLIFF! **Stop it! Not now! Keep your voice down silly. Maybe later though…"

At this the blond seemed to perk up and he stumbled over towards the bar to chat with Mirage and Maria, bumping into Albel's chair on the way.

"I love you man!" Cliff bellowed, unmistakably too drunk to notice what he was saying. He tried to hug Albel, but got a swift fist in the gut instead. The drink in Albel's other hand didn't even flinch with this sudden movement, such is the preciseness of his abilities. Cliff finally continued on to the bar as Albel thought about how he was pretty sure he was going to puke.

Just as he was fuming over how idiotic his companions were, Albel noticed that Fayt had plopped his head down onto his arm on the table and he seemed to have fallen asleep, a slice of cucumber still dangling out of one hand like a cigarette. _Now's my chance..._

It was so packed in the pub that no one noticed the Elicoorian slip over, lift Fayt up, and help him stagger out of the tavern to the nearby inn.

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_Oh ya, that's how I got myself into this…_

Going to the washroom was the number one thing on Fayt's 'To do' list. Rolling off the bed, he stood up carefully with his arms out front for balance and tried his best to walk in a straight line to the toilet. Albel didn't utter a word. After a glorious two minute pee — he never knew one could get such pleasure from this sort of thing — the bluenette stumbled back into bed.

While lying there and pondering what to do, Fayt felt so incredibly **hammered** and so incredibly **horny**, all at the same time. He turned towards Albel and caught sight of his lean, exposed stomach and the sleek, rolling curves of his abs. The crimson coloured eyes staring back at him were both scary and alluring, like the sirens of a passing police car, and Fayt couldn't turn his own away. The bluenette wasn't even thinking, his senses and primeval urges were taking over. But something in the back of his mind told him to send Albel away…

"Albel, why did you bring me here?" the young man mumbled.

"Shhh. Don't you worry. You just sit back and let me...tell you how I feel," the Elicoorian cooed, reaching over and brushing his healthy hand through the cerulean sea of Fayt's hair.

Albel quickly moved down to the end of the bed and started unclipping the belt buckle on the bluenette's pants. Fayt grabbed the other's hand and held it steady.

"It's okay, you can trust me," his visitor responded.

The grip on Albel's hand went limp and he proceeded to take off the other's pants and then his underwear. Fayt's dick rested lazily on his waistline, clearly unimpressed with all the alcohol. _It's okay, I'll just let him do a little bit, it's nothing…what's that?_

"Albel! Since when do you have a tongue piercing?!" the bluenette yelled as he spotted the shiny silver stone in his friend's open mouth.

"Bah, I've always had it, you just haven't noticed it before. Then again, I don't always have it in."

"Ahhh, I see," Fayt replied, eyes drooping. "So...what's it for?" he asked, not noticing that this was a rather dumb question.

"Well, I'm told it's good for a certain something…"

With this Albel bent over, slipped Fayt's flaccid cock into his mouth and began to coax it to attention. The bluenette's own mouth popped open as a string of groans rippled across his tongue. The chilly touch of the Elicoorian's artificial arm on his abdomen clashed with the leathery smooth feel of Albel's other hand holding the base of Fayt's member. Everything about Albel was the difference between night and day — the contrasting hands, the dark and light hair, the ruby eyes against the pale skin. Fayt couldn't pick between these extremes, he liked them both.

By now the bluenette's dick was flooded with sensation, standing up all by itself. Albel began to work up and down Fayt's member, skillfully using his round piercing to tingle and delight the different grooves and tender spots along the shaft. Fayt felt the mind-blowing opposition of Albel's spongy, warm tongue sliding over the end of his cock and the cool, slick strokes of the piercing caressing the rest of his erection, especially the little furrow at the base of the head.

At this point, the booze was giving Fayt the impression of rocking back and forth in a boat and he thought this might cause him to fall asleep. He forced himself to concentrate by watching the delectable sight of his cock sliding in and out of Albel's mouth and intermittently poking out the side of his cheek.

The bluenette felt the familiar building of pleasure and pressure in his groin as he shouted a warning to Albel: "Uhh, I'm gonna come!"

Expecting Albel to pull away and finish him off with a handjob, instead the Elicoorian took all of Fayt's member in his mouth and the latter couldn't help but let himself go with a shattering cry of ecstasy. Albel tried to swallow it all, but he ended up coughing a little and the silvery stuff slipped out the sides of his mouth and dribbled back down onto Fayt's stomach.

Wiping his lips clean, Albel gave the bluenette a monstrous smile (a real rarity let me tell you) and slid to the very end of the bed. He then lifted Fayt's right foot up with his hand and started sucking on each of his toes! Initially taken aback, Fayt thought how strangely amusing this was and imagined it was similar to licking the left over flavouring of nacho cheese off one's fingers. But he figured his foot probably didn't taste as good.

These random musings made him realize that his brain had switched back on. Thoughts began to swirl around his head and it was like he had awoken from a (wet) dream. The gravity of the situation slapped him hard in the face. _Holy shit. What am I doing? I don't love him...I love the man who saved my life and would do anything for me..._

Fayt's reflections didn't last long as he soon heard the sound of heavy footsteps running up the stairs outside the bedroom. Albel jumped away from Fayt and sat on a chair nearby while the bluenette scrambled to cover himself with the bed sheets.

Cliff burst into the room, eyes blazing, fists ready for a fight. He gaped back and forth between Fayt and Albel not sure what to do.

"**Albel!** Whaddya doing here and why did ya drag Fayt out of the pub?"

"None of your business maggot," the Elicoorian hissed, trying to think of an excuse.

"Come on you sick freak, spit it out!"

"Hmph. If you really must know, Fayt was feeling sick so I offered to help him back to the inn so he could go to bed. Is there something so wrong with that?" Albel offered, crossing his arms.

"Fayt, is this true?" the blond asked, feeling the anger slowly seep out of him.

"Mmmm," was all the bluenette managed before falling fast asleep.

"That better be the truth or else you and I are gonna be having a 'talk' later," Cliff cautioned. "By the way, you have a little somethin' there on your lip."

"You told me to spit it out, idiot. That's all it is. **Nothing else**. And I'd rather bathe in dragon dung than talk to you anyways," Albel shrieked before promptly leaping up and exiting the room.

Cliff stood there for a moment, mindlessly hitting his fist into an open palm, before realizing that he too was really tired so he made for the bathroom to get ready for bed. As he almost smashed into the doorframe (still tipsy from all those drinks), a lingering thought ran through his mind: _That bastard. I know he's up to something. I'm gonna figure this out tomorrow and if I'm right, he's toast._

**HAHA! TO BE CONTINUED!**


	10. Chapter 10: Cliff's Rage

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt

Rating: PG-13

**Summary**: It's the day after a night of too much drinking by everyone on the SO3 team. Fayt and Cliff have to deal with what Albel did the night before, and the Klausian decides to take matters into his own hands. We end with Maria feeling sorry for past actions and making up for it.

Shout Outs - _**Zel**_: Hey! You wanna know the weirdest thing? I'm also waiting for some stupid person to bring back a Furuba volume to the library! It was due on Feb. 20th and how many days late is it now?? ARG! HAHA the cucumber part is my fav. part of the chapter. OMG u should so draw Cliff with his tattoo and Fayt in his belly dancing dress and then scan them and send them to me!! Cuz i cant draw! Speaking of sister harassement, i have 2 younger ones so i know all about that. at least im older than them tho :D I can't wait for your dark FaytxCliff story. _**Spectral**_: I bet you'll love what Cliff does in this chapter :D I tried to be very descriptive about it. Anywho, like i said to Zel you should draw something and send it to me! I like the school uniform idea.

**Chapter 10 (yes a day late but i had to do this presentation for school! not about SO unfortunately):**

Fayt awoke the next morning shivering for two reasons. One, Cliff was sleeping on his side facing away from Fayt and he had pulled all the covers over with him. Two, the bluenette was naked from the waist down from last night's escapades. Thinking nothing of this and feeling the tinge of a headache spreading up his neck and into his head, he quickly grabbed the sheets and pulled them back over himself as Cliff let out a loud grunt. The calming warmth that followed allowed a light sleep to take him once again.

Cliff woke up a few hours later, after the sun had risen over the eastern mountains. Throwing his arm across the bed to stretch, he felt a sour sensation in his stomach that signaled a lovely hangover. The blond rubbed his temples in response to his sore head and then noticed Fayt had woken up as well.

"Mornin'. Now you had a rough night didn't cha? Does your head hurt as much as mine?"

"Uhhh...oh ya. I don't think I can get up yet."

"No worries. I gotta ask ya something though. So what happened with you and Albel yesterday, huh?"

Fayt eyes widened like the ripples of a raindrop on a puddle as he searched his mind, trying to recall the events of last night. "What are you talking about? I don't remember anything," he responded truthfully.

Cliff shook his head, his blond bangs falling from side to side. "Ouch. You completely forgot? Well it figures since ya had so much to drink. You might be interested to learn that he dragged ya outta the pub and took ya here without telling anyone. Now I guess I won't find out if he did anything to you. Ya never know with him...all that **staring** at ya when we're travelling..."

The bluenette felt a strange sinking feeling as he contemplated what he was being told. Next it felt like someone had punched him in the stomach as he realized there was nothing between his dick and the sheets. Sneaking a peek under the blankets to confirm this, he turned back to Cliff with a guilty look on his face. Something had gone on, and he hadn't stopped whatever it was.

"Cliff, I don't have any pants on," he said, pointing downwards. "Is that an answer enough for you?"

The blond put two and two together before letting out a low growl and cursing under his breath.

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It was a good thing the play that they were planning to attend was in the late afternoon since most of the crew members weren't feeling well enough to leave the inn until after lunch. Fayt tried to eat something in the morning and was rewarded by having to throw up a little while later. He ended up taking a pill to calm his upset stomach as he enviously wished that he had the alcohol tolerance of a Klausian.

Cliff didn't say much to Fayt all morning or when the group headed to the theatre later in the day. He and Albel completely avoided eye contact as they walked down the elegant streets of Aquios. When they arrived at the playhouse and headed inside, a perky attendant pulled Albel aside and declared that he was the 500th person to enter and that he would receive a free backstage pass to watch the show. Excited about not having to sit with the others, Albel disappeared behind some curtains as the rest of the party went to take their seats.

When the lights dimmed and the play about the history of the Aquarian Kingdom was about to begin, Fayt was finishing a conversation with Sophia over what had happened, which she spread down the row to Mirage, Maria, and Nel. About thirty minutes in, during a scene involving some war over a princess, something about the story irked Cliff and helped him come to a decision.

"That's it," he whispered to Fayt, slapping a hand down on the other's thigh. "It's either him or me and this will decide it." The blond stood up and started to move down the row.

"CLIFF! It is you! Get back here...what are you doing?" the young man hissed.

"I'm teaching him a lesson or else he's just gonna keep comin' after ya."

A small chorus of 'shhhs' came from the people around them. Brushing off Fayt's hand, the blond continued on to the aisle and vanished behind a drape on one side of the theatre. The bluenette cupped his hands over his nose and muttered 'oh my god' as he bent over in his seat. And then the sound he dreadfully did not want to hear…

"**COME 'ERE YOU SLEAZEBALL!** We're gonna settle this here and now!" It was Cliff's voice coming from backstage.

Some of the actors onstage ceased their pretend battle and glanced towards the curtain with puzzled looks. Next they heard objects crashing around behind the scenes and shouts of 'Get away from me, worm!'. Sophia and Mirage covered their mouths to stifle cries of disbelief as they deciphered what was going on. Fayt attempted to make himself as small as possible in his chair, hoping that by doing so he would just disappear. He even thought about calling the Diplo and asking to be transported to the ship, but he dismissed that idea quickly.

All of a sudden Albel came crashing backwards through a slit in the curtains into the middle of the play with Cliff following behind him, fists clenched. Albel's fall knocked two of the performers to the ground and the rest swiftly scattered to one side as the audience let out a collective gasp.

As a hush fell across the room, a full-out duel commenced between the two at centre stage in front of hundreds of spectators! Actually it was more of a fistfight since Albel hadn't brought his katana because he never would have imagined needing to use it at a play. The peculiar part was that the audience's shock soon subsided and turned into cheers as they began to think that this was all part of the show's cleverness — a feature battle within the larger one over the princess.

Completely immersed in their combat, everything around Albel and Cliff faded to black. Albel was still on the ground as Cliff marched towards him, ready to deal another blow. The Elicoorian suddenly slid forward as smoothly as a snake and swung out one leg to trip up the blond before he knew what hit him. As the latter was plunging towards the ground, Albel leaped up and punched him in the stomach, sending him flying across the stage. Cliff hit the floor with a piercing smash, crushing the whole side of a tent that was set up as a base for the play's battle. He quickly jumped up again and glared at his target through squinted blue eyes that burned hot like embers from the pits of hell.

He bounded back towards Albel, who was leisurely adjusting his artificial arm, and flew the last few metres using his high-speed _Charge_ move. His knuckles made contact with the side of Albel's face as the power of lightning wrapped like a prickly vine around his forearm and pulsed into the other's cheek, causing him to fly backwards across the stage in a haze of sparks. Clutching his jaw in one hand, the Elicoorian bent down and drew a small runology on the ground with his index finger. A stream of fire trailed his tracing motions and when he was done he pressed his entire hand onto the blazing symbol. A river of magic shot across the surface of the stage and erupted into a mini earthquake right under Cliff, making him teeter back and forth violently before losing his balance and falling hard onto a pointy prop, bruising his right shoulder.

Albel sprinted over to the collapsed Cliff and swiftly kicked him in the back, causing the latter to cry out in pain as he lifted into the air and was knocked back down again. But then the former brigade captain found himself unable to move as Cliff reached around and grabbed tightly onto his left leg. Sweat was forming on the Klausian's brow as he prepared for his next move. A violet veil of shimmering sorcery surrounded his hand like a cluster of stars and when the blond finally let go, a shockwave sent the Elicoorian up into the air as he shrieked in agony from the invisible ripples that pummeled his body.

As he plummeted back towards the ground, Cliff jumped to his feet and finished Albel off by plowing him with his _Uppercut_ move, knocking the younger man unconscious in the process. Someone in the audience shouted '**K-O!**' as thunderous applause filled every corner of the building.

Abruptly coming back to reality, Cliff glanced around at the multitude of people watching him and blushed a colour that matched the bruise on his shoulder. He stuffed some _Fresh Sage_ into Albel's mouth to resuscitate him, and dragged him backstage again — to cries of 'take off your shirt!' from people in the front row — so the play could continue and so they could have a little 'talk'. Fayt, who was feeling rather faint at the moment, felt about one thousand other emotions simultaneously as he sat bewildered in his seat.

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Sitting on a bench by a lovely little pond under a trellis of royal sunset roses outside the Aquios palace, Cliff and Fayt summarized to Maria what had happened behind the scenes. Fayt had finally snuck backstage following the 'incident' and after waking from his beating, Albel had confessed his wrongdoings and actually apologized in a roundabout way to Cliff. The blond then set down some ground rules for Albel as he explained the seriousness of his and Fayt's relationship. As he had with Maria, the bluenette asserted that he was not attracted to Albel beyond their friendship and he pleaded for him to respect that. Fayt then tried to tend to Albel's wounds, but he just stormed away saying he didn't need anyone's pity.

"So whaddya think Fayt? Did we get our point across?" the blond asked, winking contently.

"Well...as best we could. It seems nothing gets through to that man unless you have him cornered," Fayt sighed. "Albel only speaks one language, and it's called **violence**."

"Ya got that right, kid. I totally nailed him too! Did you hear all the cheers? Aren't ya proud of me?"

The bluenette rolled his eyes upwards and shook his head. "Cliff, you could have dealt with him somewhere where there weren't hundreds of people watching! If you wanted to embarrass me, it worked really well."

"I didn't mean for it to happen that way, I'm sorry. It's just that stupid play got me thinking and I had to do something right away cuz...cuz...I'm yer bodyguard! Your protector from other horny men! Plus I love ya so much I couldn't not do anything….I bet you enjoyed it Maria."

"If you want the truth, I'd have to say that it was actually quite amusing. You did what you had to do Cliff and that's all there is to it. Let's just hope you don't want to do that to me too," she replied.

Cliff was genuinely baffled by her comment until Fayt (who never told Cliff about what Maria did to him) spoke up to break the silence.

"OKAY THEN! Cliff, look at me. So anyways...the Queen asked us to go to the plains near Arias to get rid of this monster that keeps attacking the town at night and we're also suppose to talk to Clair about coordinating with Airyglyph to prepare for the next Vendeeni attack. I wish we didn't have to leave so soon though…"

"Don't then," Maria offered. "I'll take care of it for you. I'll go with the others and we'll finish off this creature and then you can come meet us later at Clair's house. You two need some rest anyways. Cliff's got some bad new bruises from that battle and we need him to be in top fighting form. And you are still recovering from that fall — which seems to have messed up your judgment seeing what happened yesterday. Haha. Just stay here where it's peaceful and spend some quality time together. It's probably best that you and Albel are separated for a while as well."

Fayt didn't know what to say. He really did not yet want to leave the soothing ambiance of Aquios and it was such a kind offer that he couldn't say no. _She must still feel bad about manhandling me in my room…_

"Okay, sure that sounds great. Thanks so much Maria."

"It's settled then!" Cliff piped in. "Look at that Fayt...that's what you call **good parenting**. Mirage and me raised little Maria to be such a selfless person…" The blond tried to pat Maria on the head but she leaned away.

"HA! Says the man who doesn't have time to help poor Niklas on Vanguard III," Fayt shot back. He then imitated Cliff's gruff voice with his hands on his hips: "I still think you shouldn't have gotten involved with those kids from Whipple."

Maria chuckled and poked Cliff in the side. "You got to admit, he's always good for a laugh!"

Fayt burst into hysterics as the Klausian tackled Maria without warning and wrestled her off the bench into the grass below. She alternated between screaming and giggling as he tickled her all over and as she tried to push him away. She attempted very sternly to say 'stop it!' but couldn't get it out.

"Hey, look who's laughing now!" Cliff roared, as a tiny toad jumped into the pond to get away from their playful antics.

-------------------------------------------

After everyone else had left for Arias, Fayt and Cliff finally went up to their room at the inn for some much needed rest and relaxation. Cliff turned the handle on the door and then abruptly let out a shout.

"WHA? What's goin' on here?"

Fayt squeezed under the blond's arm and peeked into their room. Some sort of garbled exclamation came out of his mouth as he looked around, awestruck. It seemed as though they had walked into a romance novel. There were candles of all different sizes and colours laid out around the room, each one happily burning away and creating an ambient glow that glimmered in the eyes of the beholders. At the base of each candle lay a gorgeous red blossom that sent out a wave of splendorous aroma that beckoned them to come inside.

The entire bedspread was covered with an ocean of red and pink flower petals and a bottle of champagne sat on the bedside table. Fayt ran into the room and went to look in the bathroom because he noticed that the light was on. He found the bathtub freshly filled with water coated by a layer of bubbles and sprinkled with a few petals, and on one side of the tub sat a giant bouquet of roses and a big box of the finest chocolates.

"OH MY GOD! Who did this? It's amazing!" Fayt yelled, turning back to look at Cliff. The sight of the room made his heartbeat quicken, but he hardly noticed it over his excitement.

"Hmmm, let's see here. There's a note by the champagne bottle…" he said, picking it up to read. "**MARIA?!** NO WAY! What has gotten into that girl? First she offers to take over our mission and now...well look at this place! It's incredible! I've never seen anything like it."

"Looks like today's our lucky day Cliffy," the bluenette replied seductively. He proceeded to run towards the bed to jump on it, sending blossoms flying up into the air and out off the edge of the bed. He almost disappeared under the flowers since only his face was visible above the soft curves of the petals. "Perfect."

"Guess I'm not complainin' then!" The blond marched over to the bed and swept Fayt up into his arms. The young man used to hate being carried around by Cliff, but now he couldn't think of anything better. "I think it's time for a bath...and then we'll see where it goes from there…"

Looking up into the calm, navy eyes of his boyfriend, the bluenette responded: "Kiss me Cliff, kiss me **forever**."

"Okay, but we eventually have to…" The Klausian was cut off by Fayt's lips pressing against his own and all his worries swept away as if they were riding a receding tide. For a split second an image flashed through his mind — he saw himself, at least it looked like him except that he had dark auburn hair. He was reaching out to a woman who was being dragged away from him. The image soon passed, Cliff paused for a second perplexed, but decided to think nothing of it as he sunk into the eternity of Fayt's kiss.

_I like where you sleep,  
When you sleep, next to me.  
I like where you sleep...here _

Our lips, can touch  
And our cheeks, can brush  
Our lips can touch here

Well, you are the one, the one that lies close to me  
Whisper's "Hello, I miss you quite terribly"  
I fell in love, in love with you suddenly  
**Now there's no place else I could be but here in your arms**

_- Hellogoodbye 'Here (In Your Arms)' (from Fayt's perspective)_

**TO BE CONTINUED!**


	11. Chapter 11: Was It All A Lie?

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt

Rating: PG-13

**Summary**: After a slow relaxing morning, Fayt and Cliff meet up with the crew in Arias to talk with Clair. Something explosive happens after they arrive and Fayt has to cope with the consequences. In the end, he shows who is really in control of this relationship.

Shout Outs - _**Zel**_: you're awesome! thought i'd mention that :D ive never heard of Sukisho, but now i have all these things you've recommended that some day i'll probably get around to looking at. OMG! i finally got my fruits basket today! i was going into withdrawal from waiting so long. lol the electric shock part reminded me of when i used to have to fiddle with the water pump at our cottage to fix it and i ALWAYS got shocked!! such a weird feeling. dont miss that :p as you'll see, the lemon is coming next chapter, im delaying it so that when it does come it will be unbelieveable. as for Cliff's visions...haha the suspense. so ur going to Spain and France? _**Spectral**_: yay Spectral! ya Maria felt bad anyways but i guess Cliff's reaction was a wake up call to her :D you know what? i think im gonna incorporate the school uniform into the story in later chapters! its just too good not to. Thank you so much for continuing to review!

**Chapter 11:**

After a prolonged love-making session in which names were screamed, petals were strewn, and toys were used, Fayt and Cliff both settled into a deep dreamless sleep. The next morning they enjoyed a delectable breakfast in bed before eventually ending their cozy cuddling and leaving each other's embrace. Fayt headed to the bathroom to wash his face. As he was standing in front of the mirror rinsing out the washcloth, Cliff snuck up behind him and slid his arms down over the other's shoulders so he was hugging the bluenette's chest. The Klausian reached around to affectionately kiss up and down the side of Fayt's flushed face, as the latter closed his eyes.

"Now that's what I call a great breakfast," the blond declared, finishing his sweet kisses. "But of course you were by far the best part...Mr. Hottie."

"Why thank you Clifford," Fayt replied, smiling as he grabbed the older man's waist. "I'd have to say that the sausages were first-rate. Nothing like a good sausage for breakfast, wouldn't you say?"

"Ya got that right."

"Thanks for lending me one of yours, I was just so hungry and I couldn't resist another. It was so **big** too…" the bluenette said wryly.

Cliff held Fayt close, nuzzling his chin on the other's shoulder. "I know...so juicy and tasty. We should have sausages every morning."

"Now there's an idea. But I like the kind that explode when you eat them. If you know what I mean."

When Fayt winked, the blond pretended that he had no idea what the bluenette was referring to. Then the latter grabbed Cliff's crotch and they both burst out laughing.

"Heh...all ya have to do is pour some maple syrup on it and then you've got yer maple flavoured sausage right there all ready for ya."

"Well, actually I like to stick the whole thing in my mouth at once, forget about cutting it up first."

"Ohhh. That's a very good thing from my perspective," the Klausian said snickering. "Personally, I like to suck 'em dry to get all that goodness out of the inside..."

Fayt couldn't think of a reply. "Okay, I'm done now, that's all I've got. I don't think we can drag it out any longer, dirty old man."

"Awww, who ya calling dirty? OR OLD?? We just bathed yesterday night. Fine, enough of the chitchat. Let's get ready to go to Arias. Aren't you excited?"

"Completely," Fayt responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

-------------------------------------------

After some easy fighting on the way from Aquios, the duo burst through one of the entrances to Arias and Cliff strutted in ahead and shouted loudly: "**WE'RE HERE!**"

Silence. A dog nearby noticed him and came up to sniff his groin. Nobody walking around bothered to look and the guards at the gate made their displeasure known by grimacing at the happy-go-lucky Klausian.

"Sheesh…Hello to you too. What a lively place."

Fayt strolled up behind him and shoved him towards Clair's house.

"Okay, okay. I'm going."

As they approached their destination, they spotted Albel leaning against the wall beside the door, one leg crossed over the other. He was chewing a piece of wheat, which he took out of his mouth so he could welcome them.

"Hmph. Look who finally showed up. Hello scumbags, I hope your journey was pleasant."

"Why thank you 'Bel. We couldn't wait to see you again," the blond said, coughing in between sentences.

"How are things here Albel?" Fayt asked. "It looks like your cuts are all better."

Albel glared at the bluenette, but his eyes told that he wasn't angry, but rather glad that someone cared. "Well, we finished off that monster that was causing the ruckus quite easily, and without any help from the dumb blond. Everyone's waiting inside for you."

Cliff snorted like a pissed off horse and strode past the Elicoorian into the house.

"Can't you two try to get along, please?"

"Right. Like I'm the problem one," Albel countered. "Talk to your boyfriend about that one, Fayt. If you can get it into his thick head that fighting me in front of a crowd like that is not acceptable, I might reconsider."

"I'm sorry about that. I told him it was stupid. Then again what you did was pretty stupid too. But at least try to be more civil. You're a great help to our group and we all need to get along. They may not show it, but I know the others are glad you're coming with us."

"Bah…"

Fayt patted Albel on the shoulder and went inside. After meeting up with the rest of the party, they all went to discuss military business with Clair in the conference room. As they talked, Fayt's mind wandered. _She seems different from last time we saw her. The tone of her voice, it sounds rather dull, like it has lost its energy and enthusiasm. Maybe I'm just reading too much into it..._

It was getting late so the crew ate dinner and then headed to bed early. They had decided to stay the night and to figure out a plan of action tomorrow.

-------------------------------------------

Fayt rolled around in bed, unable to sleep. Cliff still hadn't come up yet. He had mentioned that Clair wanted to talk to him about something, so Fayt had just gone to bed since he was so exhausted. _Is she depressed about something? Who knows_. Considering it was now half an hour since he had lay down, he was starting to get worried.

Fayt decided to find out what was taking Cliff so long. He slipped out of bed and walked in his pajamas down the stairs to the lounge. As he neared the door, he could hear two faint voices so he stepped closer and slowly turned the handle. The talking stopped. Icy needles from the doorknob blasted like bullets up the bluenette's arm making his hairs stand on end. The door didn't make a sound as he swung it open and took in the sight in front of him.

Cliff and Clair were sitting on stools in front of the bar and at the very moment they came into Fayt's line of vision, Clair leaned in towards Cliff and **kissed him on the lips**.

The floor fell out from underneath Fayt. It felt as if his entire body was sinking down into the dark depths of oblivion. Sweat started oozing from his underarm pores and the regular rhythm of this heart ceased for about five seconds straight. He felt faint, lost, confused, like he was going to collapse from the dehydration of despair. The beats finally started up again — thu-thump, thu-thump — but his heart ached in his chest as he clutched it with one hand, a physical expression of what he was feeling emotionally. In his pain, he failed to notice that Cliff had pulled back as soon as Clair had touched his lips. The bluenette only saw the kiss and had finally managed to pull a hand up to cover his gaping mouth. And in his emerald eyes countless dreams were shattering like a windshield from an errant rock as the sadness within burst forth into a stream of tears that spilled down the sweep of his cheek. His world dizzy and blurred, Fayt inhaled very loudly, which caused Cliff and Clair to notice him slouching in the doorframe.

"No, **NO**! Fayt! It's not what it looks like...Clair's…"

Now the young man began to feel incredible anger welling up inside him as Cliff threw fuel on the fire by trying to say this wasn't what it seemed. It seemed pretty damn clear to Fayt.

"How could you!" he screamed, "So what? Was it all a lie? Your love for me...this whole time?"

"Of course not!" Cliff cried, visibly upset. "She just had…"

But before the blond could explain, Fayt had raced from the room and ran out of the house into the evening's eerie twilight.

_I cannot leave here, I cannot stay,  
Forever haunted, more than afraid.  
Asphyxiate on words I would say,  
I'm drawn to a blackened sky as I turn blue. _

There are no **flowers**, no not this time, (the bouquet Cliff gave him in ch. 3)  
There'll be no **angels** gracing the lines, (his dream of Cliff as an angel, ch. 1)  
Just these stark **words**, I find. (Cliff's promise to protect & love him)  
I'd show a smile, but I'm too weak,  
I'd share with you could I only speak,  
Just how much this, hurts me

_Just how much you..._

_- AFI 'This Time Imperfect'_

It was just before 10 pm since everyone had decided to head to bed so early. There was still enough light to see and the sky wasn't completely darkened yet. Giant billowing masses of clouds were creeping across it though — there were two separate fluffy masses, one in front and one behind, and each was dyed a distinctive shade of grey. They marched through the sky like an invading army as sections of cloud pushed ahead of the rest, reaching out towards the trail of the absent sun.

Fayt darted right out of town, not knowing where he was going, and not caring. He entered an evergreen forest outside of Arias and ran between the towering firs, occasionally tripping over protruding roots. The trees here rose up just like Japanese pagodas as each layer of branches curved out and upwards as if they were reaching in exaltation to the heavens. The top half of the trees were shrouded in a mysterious white mist that heightened and blurred the senses, matching the internal chaos clouding Fayt's mind.

He finally shot out of the woods and onto the edge of a high rocky cliff. Far below the steep precipice lay endless forest that stretched out as far as the eye could see to the mountains on the horizon. Elicoor I was visible just above the skyline with its burgundy tones and grand rings that circled the planet vertically. Here, at the end of the world, he collapsed near the edge and lay deep in thought.

He didn't cry, he just felt **numb**. The psychological dam he had painfully spent so long to build up in his mind was cracking and the pool of his aching memories was slipping through and overwhelming his senses. The death of Ameena and Dion, being separated from his parents and not knowing whether they were alright, the trauma of the Vendeeni attack on Hyda IV and all the people who had died, the knowledge that he had been experimented on and that everyone was out to get him, that it was all his fault — it was all breaking through since Cliff had been the one holding it all back and allowing him to go on without falling into the hands of hopelessness.

He moved closer to the edge of the cliff and dangled one leg off the side, feeling the rising air brushing up past him. _I can't deal with all this. I need someone to help me through. I hope I'm just overreacting...Cliff couldn't be pretending to love me out of pity...hiding his straightness this whole time. I know how he looks at me, how he kisses me, you can't fake something like that. Or can you…The jealously he felt over Albel, the tears we have shared together, the laughter..._

As he stared mindlessly into the forest, Fayt thought he heard a soothing voice calling out to him — a ghostly whisper in his ear...'Destiny awaits, my child' — but it turned out to be just the wind. Or was it...Suddenly a dark figure materialized in the mists with brilliant wings that stretched up in an arc behind it. Fayt rubbed his eyes and looked back again. The wings were gone but someone tall was definitely walking towards him and within seconds Cliff emerged from the fog and ran towards Fayt with an anxious but relieved look on his face. He was carrying beautiful flowers in one hand.

The Klausian knelt down beside the bluenette and began to speak: "I'm so sorry, so sorry Fayt. I know I've hurt you but let me explain what happened."

Seeing the tears in Cliff's eyes, Fayt simply nodded.

"Clair's been depressed lately, for a variety of reasons, and she wanted to talk to someone about it so I offered an ear. She had a few drinks while we were chattin' — I refused to drink because of what happened yesterday — and we were just finishin' our talk when out of nowhere she leaned in and kissed me. Believe me I was as shocked as you were. I pulled away immediately and my heart just broke when I found out you had seen it. She's had a rough time and she didn't know what she was doing. It meant absolutely nothing...I promise you."

Fayt sighed heavily and felt all those worries being pushed into the back of his mind again making the air around him feel lighter and relieving his soul beyond comprehension.

Cliff handed Fayt his communicator and Clair began apologizing profusely through it, backing up what the blond had said. After she was done, Cliff handed Fayt the cluster of lilac forget-me-nots in his grasp.

"Here kid, I picked these when we were in our meadow near Aquios and I want ya to have 'em. I love ya more than anything and you're the only one I love. I would never **EVER** give up what we have together. Come what may, I will love ya...'til my dying days. ...Oh man, wow did that ever sound corny..."

"No, it's sweet Cliff. You had me so worried there. I completely blew it out of proportion. I've just been so sensitive lately, with all that's been happening. I know you love me and...I don't know why I would ever question that. Thank you."

With that he jumped up and gave Cliff a huge bear hug, pressing his face into the warm, welcoming groove of the blond's neck. He didn't let go for at least a minute. There was one little thing that was still bothering him, but he didn't want to bring it up right now.

"Okay, let's go home…"

They walked hand in hand together back into the murky shadows of the forest.

-------------------------------------------

Back in their room at Clair's mansion, Fayt was sitting on the bed while Cliff brushed his teeth in the bathroom.

"Cliff, I gotta ask you something. You said you pulled away from Clair as soon as she kissed you but why didn't you lean away or push her away when you first noticed her moving closer to you?"

Cliff took a moment to respond and when he did it was partially garbled from the toothpaste. "C'mon man, it happened so quickly I didn't even think about it."

Fayt wasn't fully convinced. "Uh huh. Well are you gonna say you're sorry then for allowing her to kiss you in the first place?"

"WHAT? NO!" the Klausian responded, spitting foam into the sink. "I didn't do anything wrong! I was just sitting there and she practically attacked me with her mouth. Gimme a break."

A wry smile crawled across Fayt's face. "Fine then...**I guess you won't be getting any for a while**…"

The blond jerked his head to glance at his boyfriend to see if he was serious or not. Fayt stared back with a stern look.

"You heard me," the bluenette said, waving a finger. "No sex until you apologize for that."

"Pffff, whatever. That won't be lasting long. Soon enough you'll be at your knees BEGGING for me to whip it out for ya."

"HA! We'll see about that you sex fiend."

Cliff felt a slight tinge of worry. "FAYT! C'mon! I already said sorry for the whole situation! I'm not apologizing for that picky little thing though...it wasn't my fault. It happened so fast."

Fayt shook his head and crossed his arms. "Cliff, Clair was drunk, you were not. I was smashed when that incident happened with Albel, I had no idea what was happening and I still apologized to you later. You don't have alcohol as an excuse."

"Whatever…" The blond reassured himself that this sex holiday wouldn't be lasting long as he washed his face. _He can't resist me…_

They finally went to bed, happy that they were still together, but angry at the same time at their stubbornness. Just before falling asleep, Cliff had another 'vision' where he saw the dark-haired version of himself again. He was standing in some sort of transporter and there were guards all around aiming guns at him. He was clutching a diary to his chest and there was a terrified look on his face. Thinking he had already fallen asleep and that it was a dream, Cliff tried to forget about it, even though he wondered what hell all these images were about…

Early next morning Nel burst into their room with a frantic look on her face.

"Fayt! Cliff! Get up! I was outside with Sophia to look around the marketplace for breakfast ideas and this flyer from Greeton swooped out of nowhere and snatched her up in broad daylight! It flew back in the direction of their continent."

"Flyer?" Fayt asked, puzzled.

"Yes, I might not have mentioned this before but some of the Greeton people have wings."

"**WHAT.**"

"Sophia...first I lost her after Hyda and now this...crap! Okay we have to go after her, screw everything else!"

Cliff snickered. "Aww do we have to? It would probably be so much nicer…"

Fayt flared his nostrils and glared at Cliff with eyes that filled with flames of death.

"I'm JOKING. Though ya know I'm not entirely wrong…"

**DUN DUN DUN! TO BE CONTINUED!**


	12. Chapter 12: A Lemon in the Jungle

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt

Rating: **R - **Warning: Yaoi, please don't read if you don't like this.

**Summary**: Sophia's been kidnapped by a Greetoner! Chaos ensues in the visit to the Diplo that follows as Peppita, Roger, and Adray show what they're made of. Needless to say, the group ends up in a jungle where fun stuff happens with Albel and then a gigantic lemon emerges between Cliff and Fayt.

Shout Outs - _**Zel**_: Haha i'm glad you like the Sophia kidnapping. i dont want to bash her too much but sometimes i cant help it. ya it was weird how well that song fit in, its by a band called AFI (or A Fire Within) from California. i cried at that part you did too! when i was proofreading it! btw, about the water pump i said 'cottage' not 'college' :D lol. ur so lucky you get to go on those trips! i went to Spain and France last year. Madrid and Barcelona were incredible, there's a certain je ne sais quoi about Spain. And I went to Avignon, Amboise, and Paris, all beautiful and such good food! I LOVE FOOD! _**Spectral**_: lol at Sophia. i mean i understand how they are such good friends but sometimes i just want to smack her. aww u think my story should be an anime!? thats awesome. we should go to japan and propose it to the networks :D i dont have a gaia account btw. i sent my e-mail to u thru your profile page.

**Chapter 12 (censored version, cut scene is replaced by a type in-link if you wanna read it):**

As they prepared to leave Arias, Fayt was taking a quick break as he sat by himself in the conference room. He was trying to picture what had happened to Sophia. He imagined the fear in her eyes as she was being carried off into the clouds by this Greetoner and the shrieking that must have followed as her pink and mauve outfit faded to a speck in the distance. _And I wasn't there to save her…_

He was so spaced out that he didn't notice Mirage standing in the doorway staring at him. "Fayt, it's time to go."

Jumping slightly in his seat from the unexpected interruption, the bluenette brushed his bangs out of his eyes and headed to the lounge where the rest of the crew was waiting. They had come to agreement that the easiest way to get to Greeton was to first transport to the Diplo and then get coordinates to the capital city and beam back down there.

"Okay Lieber, we're ready for transport," Maria said into her communicator.

"Good luck!" Clair shouted as she waved goodbye. "Ask my father to come back here. I want to talk to him."

The six of them — Fayt, Cliff, Maria, Nel, Albel, and Mirage — vanished before her eyes in a shimmering aquamarine glow that spiraled around them and sent them up towards the stars.

"Welcome back, Captain," Lieber announced as the group materialized before him. "Thank god you're here. I've been so worried about you...oh and all of you too…that I've lost my will to eat and sleep! It doesn't help that Peppita, Roger, and Adrey are impossible to keep under control."

"That's why we left 'em here. So we could get things done," Cliff replied, donning a dumb grin.

The bags under Lieber's eyes didn't seem to dampen his spirit: "Well enough about them anyways. You guys are back and I hope you're staying for a while?"

"Sorry, but we're only here for a short visit. We're heading back down to Greeton as soon as possible," Maria stated flatly. "But when we get back I think I should repay you for watching the others by…"

Lieber: "...giving me some time off?"

Maria: "...taking you out for dinner."

Lieber's face turned bright red as Maria winked at him and brushed a finger across his chest as she walked by. Fayt turned around and tried to suppress his laughing, but it didn't work too well. He just ended up snorting through his nose. _Smooth…_

As they made their way to the bridge, the sound of singing greeted their ears and grew steadily louder as they approached the meeting room.

"_This is the song that doesn't end, yes it goes on and on MY FRIEND! Some people started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because…_"

Peppita and Roger emerged from the room happily chanting in chorus. They glanced at the group, gave a little wave, and continued on parading around the ship singing rather loudly while banging on drums. Adray was the last to emerge and he added his deep voice to the mix as well.

"_This is the song that doesn't end, yes it goes on and on my friend! Some people started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it FOREVER just because…_"

"See what I mean…" Lieber shouted above the racket.

"WHAT IS THAT GODAWFUL NOISE?!" Albel screamed, unable to contain himself any longer.

"SHUDDUP YOU THREE!" Cliff roared, clearly annoyed. "Or yer mouth can say hello to my fist!"

_Oh please no. Just stop. Before it gets stuck in my head. _Fayt held his hands to his ears, praying that he wouldn't end up singing that song the rest of the day because he couldn't get it out of his head.

"_This is the SONG that doesn't END, yes it goes ON and ON my friend! Some people STARTED singing it not KNOWING what it was, and THEY'LL continue singing IT forever JUST because…_"

Desperate times call for desperate measures. As Albel readied his katana in order to add to his tongue collection back at home, Mirage stepped forward, gracefully outstretched one hand, and blasted Peppita and Roger with a stream of lightning bolts. They both toppled over sideways, the singing stopped, and they rolled across the floor moaning and groaning. Adray also immediately ceased his melody when he saw the punishment for disrupting the harmony of the Diplo.

"That's better, thank you Mirage," Maria sighed.

"Now then Adray," Nel began as they finally had his attention, "Clair wants you to come back home for a while."

"WHAT! I'm having far too much fun up here in this ship thingy. She's no wimp. She can take care of herself. My only job is to scout out potential husbands for her and the crew of the Dipstick is the perfect place to search. I've already got a few interested…"

Nel smacked her forehead into her palm and looked at Fayt as she mouthed 'I give up'.

"Everyone, minus Adray, Peppita, and Roger to the bridge, **NOW**," the bluenette ordered as he felt a headache coming on.

He led the way and went to sit down at one of the consoles near the front. A thunderous farting noise echoed throughout the room as he lowered himself down and he leaped back up in shock, holding the whoopee cushion out in one hand and incinerating it with a fire spell. The last of his patience was spent.

"FAYT! My god man that was a ripe one," Cliff cracked. Everyone on the bridge was in hysterics and the distinctive laugh of Roger was heard above the rest from the infirmary. "And I thought Albel's were bad…"

Fayt and Albel both glowered at the Klausian, incensed beyond belief. Seeing that the bluenette wasn't finding it funny, Cliff came over and gave him a hug to try to calm him down. Taking a deep breath, Fayt sat back down and searched for the best place to transport down to in Greeton. After Mirage and Maria chatted briefly with the crew to get an update on the ship's status and the latest news from around the galaxy, everyone made their way back to the transporter room. They were going to beam down to a jungle outside of the capital city Granada so as to not bring any attention to themselves. Ready to leave, the group watched helplessly as Roger popped around the doorframe and smacked one of the buttons on the console just before Lieber pushed the transport key.

"Whaddaya doing?! You spoiled sack of shi…" Cliff's voice trailed off as they vanished into thin air.

--

"UMMPH!"

Roger's mischievousness had scattered the transport coordinates sending some members of the group to different areas of the jungle. Cliff materialized a foot off the ground and came crashing down on one of his crewmates. Opening his eyes, he found himself staring straight at Albel's crotch.

"AHHHH! My virgin eyes!" Cliff bellowed as he immediately jumped off his landing cushion and took a look around. "Oh please no, c'mon, say it ain't so," he mumbled. There was no one else in sight. _I'm not really stuck in the middle of nowhere with HIM…_

"Hey, loser, what the hell happened?" Albel asked, rubbing the side of his head as he slowly got up.

The blond outstretched one hand in a half-shrug, the other on his hip. "Looks like we're stuck together. We're gonna have to somehow find the others and then find a way out of this jungle. I hope Fayt's okay."

Imitating Cliff while scrunching up his nose: "I hope Fayt's okay! (End imitation) Hmph! What about me do I look okay? You just flattened me, you overgrown parasite."

"I betcha liked it didn't you. Wish I hadn't got off you so quick..." the blond joked.

"Say another word and I'm going to cut off one of your testicles and I'll be calling you 'One Ball Cliff' from now on," Albel hissed, placing a hand on the sheath of his katana.

"CHILL man, seriously. We're not gonna get out of here alive if we can't work together," the Klausian replied, casually scratching his nuts (to make sure they were still there). "CRAP! My communicator was broken in the fall. I think we should just head out and see where we end up."

Albel looked at Cliff incredulously as he swatted a fly off his stomach. "No."

"Whaddya mean 'no'?"

Albel's eyes smoldered with revulsion. "Listen Fayt fucker, we should stay put and wait for the others to find us. If we all start looking around the jungle we'll never find each other. Maybe one of their devices will still be working and they can figure out our location."

"Oh. Great idea punk," Cliff responded sarcastically, lifting his upper lip and pretending to poke his right temple. "Let's just wait here forever and die from the heat or potential monkey attacks. We can't just sit here and braid our hair like I know ya wanna."

Over their arguing, Cliff and Albel failed to hear the others shouting for them in the distance.

"Still angry at me for stealing your boy that night Fittir? If you're going to cry One Ball I have a tissue here I used to wipe my ass with," Albel taunted, smacking his left buttcheek and rubbing it up and down.

By now the rest of the group had found the two by following the sound of their quarrelling and Fayt led the way by sneaking up behind Cliff. Albel saw them but didn't make any sign he did to the Klausian.

"**You douche bag**! I'm gonna bitchslap ya back to Bequerel! If I remember correctly, it was **YOU** who was crying after I pounded that sorry ass in front of all of Aquios! HA! I WIN! ...AWAHHHHH!" Cliff jumped a metre off the ground as Fayt's sudden growl scared the living shit out of him. As he was stooping over and clutching his chest in shock, the bluenette jumped onto his back.

"HEYA Cliff! Where ya been? What is this about your beautiful balls?"

--

_**They decided to split into three teams of two to search for a way out of the jungle…**_

Fayt and Cliff strolled hand in hand along a trampled path, gazing nonchalantly out ahead through the trees, absorbing the tropical atmosphere. A motley of brightly coloured birds were singing symphonies to fritter and waste the hours away while they merrily flapped to and fro through the treetops. Minute drops of water were diving one after the other off the broad leaves above and catapulting into the little pools on the forest floor. Fayt gazed down at one of the puddles as he walked by, watching the mesmerizing rings spread out from where the drops landed, blurring the reflection of the canopy above.

This exotic paradise welcomed the wanderers into its embrace by showering them with an orgy of green — every possible shade flooded their eyes as they brushed past giant ferns and vibrantly vivid tropical flowers. High up in the trees they could hear clusters of monkeys conversing with one another and some were swaying across vines as freely as children on swings after being released from school. In the background was the ever-present sound of a cornucopia of bugs chattering and droning away in the shade of the lush foliage.

The roaring sound of a river was steadily becoming louder as they continued on in silence. With a drawn-out gasp, Cliff suffered the unpleasant sensation of a massive drop of water hitting him right in the middle of his head as a gush of cold rushed across his scalp. Giving his head a jiggle, Cliff's beach blond locks flew back and forth, mimicking the birds above. The humidity was pressing against his skin, beckoning him to keep sweating until his clothes slipped off. _Which doesn't sound like a bad idea right about now…_

The rainforest soon parted and the couple found themselves in the open area of a tranquil pool surrounded by black rocks. A waterfall was smoothly tumbling over a cliff covered in vines into the warm pond below. Cliff could see an area to stand behind the waterfall that jutted out on one side into a gentle part of the cascading stream, a perfect place to cool down, or do something else…

"Hey Fayt," the blond said suddenly with puppy eyes, "Does that sex ban still stand? Cuz I've thought over what ya said."

The bluenette looked up at him. "Uh huh. You've still got your hand you know."

"...A sorry consolation prize at best," the Klausian grumbled. This perfect outdoor setting and the imaginations of what could be done was rushing blood to his rising member. "OKAY! I give in! I'm really sorry for even letting her come that close to me. I shoulda been more with it and shoved her off the chair when she started moving in. No excuses. No one gets to touch these lips except you."

"Awww, you serious? I knew you'd come around Cliff. I forgive you," the bluenette giggled. "It's never **ever** happening again right? Because Albel's given me an idea of how to punish you if it did."

Cliff's eyes widened in a mixture of curiosity and fear. "Hmmm. I'll keep that in mind. Anyways...you horny kid?"

Dirty thoughts had also crept into Fayt's mind the moment he had set eyes on this scenery. "Oh ya. I see the perfect spot to...you know…" They both looked up at the ledge behind the waterfall. "Except I'm worried that one of the others will stumble upon us, or maybe **the monkeys will spy on us**. Are you sure it's a good idea to do it outdoors?"

"NO WORRIES FAYT!" the blond urged, stretching his arms out in front of him. "Each group has a working communicator and remember we said that the first ones who got out of the jungle and found the road to Grenada would tell the others. We'll have updates on their whereabouts."

"Well what about Sophia then?"

_Screw her!_ "...We won't take that long. C'mon! I know you wanna. It'll help relieve the pressure and yer tenseness," Cliff replied, laying his hands on the other's shoulders and giving a quick rub.

"Okay...it is uncomfortable walking around with this hard-on anyways," Fayt winked.

With that Cliff and Fayt peeled their clothes off in record time and their skin glowed with wondrous relief from finally being able to breathe easily in the heavy air. Leaving their belongings in a heap on some rocks by the pool's edge, Fayt marched in the direction of his erection across the bank and up to the water-kissed ledge. His walk turned into a dash as Cliff came up behind him and playfully smacked his butt, confidently yelling: "Last one up there's gettin' it in the ass!"

It wasn't even close. Fayt reached the area along the waterfall in no time and Cliff came lumbering up after him. Laughing at how slow the Klausian was, the bluenette stepped up to Cliff as he arrived and drew him close. The touch of their chests connecting in a sweaty embrace awoke a passion deep within as he tilted his head up to reach the blond's thick, juicy lips. They kissed fiercely and freely, tasting the light tingle of salt from the perspiration that inevitably comes from being in a hot and sticky jungle. With each kiss Fayt's tongue extended out into the other's mouth and rolled around in gentle waves, exploring the depths unknown. Cliff delicately slid one hand up and down the groove of Fayt's spine, and slowly urged the latter towards the waterfall (where the ledge stuck out through it) until they were both showering underneath its glory.

They both exhaled loudly when the water first hit their heads, but they continued kissing as streams spilled down their bodies and washed away their sweat. The gentle spray ran along the veins on Cliff's arms and dribbled down Fayt's back before curving around his smooth derriere and tumbling to the black rock below. Moving in front of the cascading water now, Fayt whispered in the Klausian's ear: "I guess we're gonna be flip-flopping today, huh slowpoke?" Cliff just nodded and bent down.

Pressing his lips against the bluenette's moist stomach, he carefully suckled the skin around Fayt's bellybutton and then tickled the little hole with the end of his tongue. He moved downwards and licked the length of Fayt's cock from base to tip before teasing him by kissing around his thighs and over his hip. Proceeding to grab the other's balls in his mouth, he tenderly caressed them while sucking each one in turn. Without notice, Cliff took all of Fayt's dick into his mouth and let it slide back and forth in the groove created by his tongue. This sensational feeling caused the bluenette to gasp and throw his head back as the mist from the waterfall beside him played tag with his skin, rushing around in circles with the endless air currents. Fayt began to thrust his member in and out of Cliff's mouth in a rhythmic motion as he linked his hands together behind his neck...

The blond soon turned the young man around so he could kiss and lick his buttcheeks. He paused to marvel at the beautiful contour of Fayt's backside before parting the cheeks and readying him for penetration. Standing up once more, the Klausian held his lover tightly and rubbed his bulging cock up and down the crease of the other's ass. "Take me," the bluenette begged. Just then the **dreaded** words started spinning through his head..._This is the song that doesn't end_...but luckily they were banished in the bliss that followed.

* * *

And the next 4 paragraphs are NC-17 and therefore cut out. Type this into your address bar: 4-quintessence(dot)livejournal(dot)com(slash)75555(dot)html and scroll down to the red squigglies and read from there.

* * *

Slouching down on top of Cliff, the bluenette locked lips with him once more before simply sitting there and allowing his heartbeat to settle down. After a few moments, the couple got up and stood under the waterfall to clean themselves off. As Fayt ran a hand through his hair, he thought he saw some images dancing in the reflection of the water spilling past him. There was a woman, who looked like she could be his relative, and she was kissing a man who looked remarkably like Cliff, except with dark hair. Then flashes of a wall with the name 'Sphere Company' plastered across it appeared, and it was splattered in blood. Finally the images ended with a scene of a temple hallway and a diary on a pedestal surrounded by people with wings walking around it. A far off female voice spoke: "Destiny awaits, my child. All will be revealed in Granada."

Fayt rubbed his eyes with shaky hands, thinking he was going crazy. Little did he know, Cliff was having similar unexplained visions.

Suddenly Maria's voice came out of nowhere. They ran down to their clothes and picked up the communicator.

"Fayt, Cliff we found a village in the jungle and they know the way to Granada. It's quite an interesting place...come see for yourself."

**TO BE CONTINUED!**


	13. Chapter 13: A Slash Fan's Paradise

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt

Rating: PG-13

**Summary**: More delays on the journey to save Sophia in Greeton! Fayt, Cliff, Nel, Albel, Mirage, and Maria stumble upon an 'interesting' village in the middle of the jungle. The leader asks for their help in return for pointing them to Granada. Fayt and Cliff pick up two new companions for the trip and then celebrate with a festive bonfire.

Shout Outs - _**Zel**_: Yay! I'm so glad u like my lemons. That waterfall scene was in my mind for a long time and I finally got to write it out in all its glory. Sorry for pushing the revealing of the 'visions' to next ch., I gotta do this village idea I got before they get to Granada! OMG u want me to torture Sophia!? LOL hmm ill think about it :D AFI is my favourite band btw. 'Silver and Cold' & 'Love Like Winter' are their best songs. That's pretty funny about your granddad driving the wrong way in Spain!! haha he was way off! Is there a Star Ocean TTET manga in english?? i saw that on your profile page. _**Spectral**_: How's it going? Hope you like this chapter and can't wait for your next review. **_Blackdragon3:_ **Thanks for adding my story to your alert list! Feel free to review I'd love to hear from u.

**Chapter 13 (for fun this ch. is from Cliff's perspective):**

Fayt and Cliff met up with Albel and Nel and they walked together through the jungle to the village that Maria and Mirage had stumbled upon. As they stepped out of the shadows of the trees they came to a serene riverbank surrounded by an open area scattered with huts made of wood and straw. Young men were standing in the water or sitting on the river's edge fishing and chatting with each other. There were some horses, goats, and chickens running around the place and male children were kicking a ball to and fro while some older chaps were lying in hammocks enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Cliff noticed something strange though. All the villagers were men. Not that he had a problem with that. In fact some of them were damn hot.

It seemed as if everyone was wearing loincloths and nothing else — no shirts, no shoes, a bit of body paint on the chests of several of the men. Most of them were nicely toned and in shape from all the work they likely had to do gathering food and toiling around camp. From what the blond could see, none of them seemed to have long hair though, which was bizarre considering it didn't look like they had scissors or any sort of modern technology. _How can there be a place like this so close to the technological superpower of Greeton? _he pondered. Fayt was looking rather happy, his eyes bubbling with awe and disbelief.

"Cliff, I think I've stumbled into my dreams…" the bluenette joked breathily, squeezing the other's hand.

"No kiddin'. Whaddya think of that guy over there?" the Klausian asked, pointing to a handsome man by the river.

"**Hot**….Oh, stop looking! He sees us...Okay now he's bending over to pick something up...and yup, that loincloth's a little too short there."

Cliff burst out laughing and slapped the bluenette on his back. They noticed that Maria and Mirage were just over the way talking to a man holding a staff near the largest hut. Fayt rushed ahead to greet them. The blond continued chuckling to himself as his lover was walking a little lopsided...obviously sore from the hot sex they had just had under the waterfall. And Albel was snickering behind Cliff as he noticed the blond was walking rather funny as well: _God, I don't even want to think about what they just did..._

The group converged on Maria and Mirage.

"Hey guys, you made it," the female Klausian said, staring at Fayt as he walked like he was limping up to her.

Maria gestured to the man standing beside her. "I want to introduce everyone to Braedon, the leader of this village they call Wizaria."

The man bowed to the party. He had dark blond hair and his eyes immediately caught Cliff's attention. The left one was navy blue and the right one was forest green. He was wearing a sparkling necklace made of white jewels and a round pendant hung from the middle that seemed to contain a purple mist that made the blond's eyes go blurry when he looked at it.

"Welcome to our home. Maria here has told me about your journey and that you are from far away from here. Let us go into my house and we can discuss how I can be of help," Braedon offered, casually scratching the painting of a roaring lion on his chest.

"First things first Mr. Leader," Cliff said as he interlocked his fingers behind his neck. "Why am I seeing only men in this village?"

The chief motioned around to all the villagers with his staff. "It has always been this way, far back to the time of our ancestors. We never knew there were such thing as 'women' until a while ago when people from Granada found our home deep within this jungle."

"Huh, is that so...one more question then. Uhh, how do you reproduce?"

Fayt glared at Cliff, royally peeved at his nosiness.

Braedon waved his hand and pointed the crew towards his hut. "I'm sorry but we cannot reveal that secret to you. You must understand. Certain knowledge is sacred to Wizaria."

The blond stood there scratching his head as some wacky theories ran through his mind. Mirage and Maria had already gone into the house when all of a sudden four men in their twenties emerged from different huts and with jaws dropped approached Albel and Nel. Whispering to each other and pointing, they came up to the two and walked around them, looking them over. "Come with us," they beckoned to the Elicoorians. Before they could answer, one of the men had disarmed the two and then the others dragged them into their huts.

"Do not worry my friends," Braedon promised. "They will welcome them and treat them well. Let's go."

Fayt looked anxiously at his crewmates as they were being taken away, their faces a muddy bog of bewilderment. Cliff chuckled and urged the bluenette ahead. "Have fun you two! Be nice to our hosts."

The couple went into the main hut and sat down at the dinner table on a bench beside the other girls. "See Fayt," Maria whispered to him, "I told you you'd like this place," she said grinning. "Hell I like this place." Hearing their conversation, Cliff went and sat down between them.

"Well let's get right to it then," Braedon began. "We have no problem helping you find the way to Granada but I must ask something of you in return. I know you are warriors from what you travel with and I have seen the runes on that man with the red hair outside."

"**MAN!?**" Fayt shouted as the others suppressed their explosion of laughter. "Chief, that is a woman and her name is Nel. She is from Aquaria."

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I was confused. You see we figure that if visitors have short hair they are male and if they have long hair they are female. So I guess that woman outside with the bleached hair and artificial arm isn't actually a woman then?"

Cliff laughed so hard he started to cry. "Oh man, you just made my day," he finally managed. "No I'm assured that bastard is a man. Fayt can bear witness to that right?" he said, nudging him in the side.

Fayt glared at him through squinted eyes before kicking the blond's leg under the table. Maria and Mirage stared inquisitively at the two until they remembered the night Cliff was referring to.

"Okay then," Braedon continued, "You see Granada is threatening to take over our village and we need a way to defend ourselves against them. There is a temple nearby that contains the power of Ultima magic that our ancestors built if we ever needed it for our defence. But a monster has taken up residence there and we can't get in to reach the spell. Most of us are mages you see. We use simple magic to help with our survival."

Fayt raised his hand to his chin and started rubbing his afternoon stubble. "So you want us to get rid of this creature? What is this Ultima magic?"

"It is the strongest spell ever known. It is a sphere of destruction. It can focus on something very small or expand to engulf an entire town. If you help us I will allow you to use it on your journey. We won't actually use it on Greeton — the threat of having it is enough for them to back off."

"That could really help us out, Fayt," Mirage said, bending her head down to look past the others at him, her hair touching the table. "We don't know what we're up against in Granada."

Cliff thought otherwise and glanced at Fayt out of the corner of his eyes. "Kid, I think we should stay out of this. We can find our own way there. Shouldn't we be going as soon as possible? For Sophia's sake?"

Fayt chuckled. "Says you who didn't mind our little fling by the waterfall. No we're gonna help them. If we don't they might be completely wiped out or assimilated into Granada's culture. It's amazing there is still a place like this. Since we aren't actually sharing any of our technology, I don't see the problem."

The blond rolled his eyes and shook his head as he looked around the room. Surprisingly, he then decided to respond: "Okay Fayt that's probably the right thing to do."

Fayt stared intently at his sweetheart with one eyebrow lifted in shock. But within a few seconds he flashed an immense smile and reached an arm lovingly around Cliff's back.

-------------------------------------------

They were soon trampling down a path in the rainforest on the way to the temple. The group had decided to leave Nel and Albel behind since apparently the villagers were having a lot of fun with them. A few men were tagging along to accompany the party to their destination. Cliff struck up conversation with one of them and found out that he was also trained in fighting with his fists. He had some trouble though focusing his eyes on the other's because they kept wandering downwards. Fayt decided to talk to one of them too when he saw Cliff doing it, and this young man was full of wonder over what Fayt's home was like. Maria, for her part, was determined to discover how they reproduced before leaving the village, but so far was having no luck. Mirage was walking with Braedon and they were laughing over something.

As they approached the stone doorway of the step temple — which was entangled in vines — Cliff marvelled at the beams of light that streamed through the woods like it often does through clouds on an unsettled day. _Oh man I wanna take off my shirt it's so hot…_

Up ahead though he spotted the monster stomping through the shadows towards them. It was a giant stone beast with a massive club in one hand. _Where the hell did that come from? I'm gonna blame it on Roger. This whole mess is his fault. Remember to give him a beating later, Lord Cliff._

The villagers stood back and let the group rush ahead towards the creature. They tried to help by shooting basic fire spells at the beast from a distance. Cliff adjusted the gauntlet that went up his left arm and charged in first like he was invincible. Which of course he believed he was.

The battle didn't last long as the monster was no match for the well-travelled foursome. Cliff and Fayt attacked together, the former using _Sphere of Might _and_ Hammer of Might_ by raising his hands into the air to form an orb of vicious magic that sent its noise and luminosity roaring to the jungle's depths. His fists finally battered the beast soon after. The bluenette shot up effortlessly towards the treetops for _Air Raid_, and after crashing down he ran right back at the thing to finish his combination with _Blade of Fury_, shouting loudly for everyone to watch out for the swinging club. In a blinding blast, Mirage critically injured the creature with _Triple Kicks _to its weak joint areas and Maria shattered it to smithereens with an icy detonation from her gun.

"Wow you truly are something," Braedon exclaimed to the victors.

Maria blew the frosty mist off the end of her gun. "I know."

The other young men came up and were chattering profusely with the party, impressed with their fancy moves. Braedon proceeded to walk up to the temple entrance and Cliff saw the strange pendant on his neck glow with the light of the fireflies as the stone door slowly slid aside. Everyone ran down the hallway to the centre of the temple and a pedestal soon became visible within a dim chamber where water dripped down between cracks in the old stone walls. They all stopped and stared at Ultima. Its essence was contained within a violet crystal sitting there in front of them, surrounded by engravings of lions that spread out around the room like the longitude lines of a globe.

"I must thank you very much for helping us get back into the temple. Now that we have this our village will be safe. And as I promised I will share its power with you for your long journey and I trust you will use it well."

As the chief motioned towards Fayt, the bluenette turned to look at his boyfriend. "Cliff, I want you to take it. I'm afraid to have that sort of power. You should hold onto it."

"Sure, whatever lessens the load on yer mind." The blond stepped up to Braedon who touched the crystal with one hand and had Cliff touch the pendent on his necklace. As his index finger made contact with the sphere of purple mist, he felt a warm tingling sensation bathe his body like he had fallen into a splendid hot spring.

"Cliff," Mirage piped up as the magic transfer ended, "You do know that no magic is allowed when we duel so you're still going to lose badly to me. As you do pretty much every time." She was trying to keep a straight face as he jerked his head to give her the evil eye.

"SHUDDUP! I thought ya said we weren't gonna tell anyone what the score between us was! Now Fayt's gonna think I'm a wuss."

"But you are Cliff. You always let Mirage boss you around," Maria teased, flipping her hair to the side.

"**He isn't a wuss in bed!**" Fayt shouted loudly, feeling the sudden urge to passionately defend his lover.

"Atta boy Fayt, you tell 'em!"

-------------------------------------------

When they arrived back to Wizaria it was early evening and the sky had darkened even though the jungle heat hadn't abated one bit. Braedon had insisted they take a look around the little marketplace in the village to pick out any animal they wanted as a token of his appreciation. Fayt had expressed his excitement about bringing a pet along for the journey since he had left his dog back home on Earth. Cliff had never had a pet before but admitted that he was interested in getting one and he definitely wanted to go along with whatever made Fayt happy.

They strolled through the marketplace holding hands and looking at the different animals. There were parrots, monkeys, cats, ducks, and ferrets. Cliff was fascinated by the ferrets.

"Look at these things! They're so long and so soft…" the Klausian said, stroking one of them as it squeaked cheerfully. The vendor explained that the two ferrets he had were brother and sister and that they could understand simple commands like 'go fetch' something. They had cute little rounded ears that stuck up by themselves and adorable faces with a dark stripe across the eyes, similar to a raccoon. For Fayt it was love at first sight.

"Aww Cliff they're perfect! Look they really like you. They're snuggling up against your hand. I can carry them in my bag if they get tired from walking. Let's get them!" The bluenette picked one up and fondled its little black feet. "Say hi to your new daddy!"

The blond snorted and told the merchant they'd take them. "So I guess that makes me the mommy, huh?"

"That's the idea! You've got the boobs. So what should we call them? Hold on, it's coming to me...**COCO AND LOCO!** You can carry Loco, 'cause your crazy," Fayt joked, passing Loco to Cliff.

"HAHA! Awesome. And you can carry Coco, which I assume is short for coconut, cause yer definitely a nut."

Fayt smacked Cliff in the shoulder before they continued on. The couple walked back to Braedon's hut with the ferrets curled up in their arms, their heads poking out to watch the bustling village pass them by. In the central area surrounded by huts someone had started a roaring bonfire so they went and sat down in front of it with Braedon.

Mirage and Maria were off looking for Nel and Albel. Mirage peeked into one of the homes nearby and was greeted by the unexpected sight of two hot men having sex. She quickly closed the drape over the door, paused for a moment, and then peeped back in again. They didn't notice her so she figured she'd have a little look-see. And who can blame her.

Braedon explained to Cliff and Fayt that the villagers were going to put on a ritual ceremony for them with lots of dancing and singing around the bonfire. Men of all ages were arriving from different areas of the camp to join the growing crowd around the central square. It was completely dark now and the fire crackled and sputtered as it lit up the faces of the observers with an orange glow.

Just as Maria and Mirage returned empty-handed from their search, Nel and Albel became visible in the light of the flames, surrounded by a flock of flirtatious young men. Cliff wasn't sure if he could laugh any harder than when Braedon had mistaken Albel for a girl, but what followed came close. The villagers had drawn a moustache and beard on Nel's face and painted red lion symbols on her cheeks and arms. She was in a loincloth and a simple shirt, obviously because she would have killed them if they made her go topless like a man. Albel, on the other hand, was dressed in just a short skirt, apart from a bikini top they had scrounged up with some pink cloth. **His hair was gathered into two pigtails that stuck out on each side of his head like an unfashionable schoolgirl**. Cliff and Fayt fell off the logs they were sitting on in hysterics and almost squashed their new pets in the process.

The strange part was that Albel didn't seem angry at all, in fact he looked rather pleased with himself. _I wonder what they were doing all that time...ahhh, maybe he gotta little somethin' somethin' in return_, Cliff pondered as he finally got up off the ground and helped Fayt back up. Nel looked truly pissed off but it was obvious that she didn't want to offend the villagers by not playing along with the ceremony.

A group of guys wearing a band of parrot feathers on their heads got up from their seats and began to dance around the fireplace as the sound of drums started echoing through the night. Cliff noticed something oddly familiar about the things they were wearing over their noses as part of the costume…

"Hey Braedon, is that what I think it is?"

"Yes, my friend. The **penis** is sacred to our people and to our way of life."

"Huh," the Klausian replied, not sure whether to laugh or not. It looked pretty funny watching the dancers with these pretend penises flopping around over their noses as they hopped about.

"Do you two want to join in? You'll have to change first."

Fayt nodded up at Cliff and they snuck into the main hut and came back out in sexy brown loincloths. After giving Coco and Loco some food to munch on under the watchful eye of Braedon, the couple joined the celebration as more and more residents jumped to their feet to dance among the others. Nel and Albel were trying to follow the moves of the main dancers while Mirage and Maria were content to just watch.

Fayt and Cliff danced spiritedly in the circle of revellers around the fire for a while before breaking off and just holding each other while swaying back and forth within the crowd. The blond embraced Fayt from behind as they watched the grand spectacle surrounding them. It felt so good to have someone to hold onto, someone so lean and beautiful that fit perfectly within his grasp. His muscular arms brushed lightly over the bluenette's bony shoulders and smooth chest like a gentle summer breeze. Here, at nirvana's doorstep, Cliff was cuddling the only person he ever needed — his guiding light in the darkness, his shining star in the abyss of space.

Wherever he looked, the Klausian saw flashes of colour that flickered on smiling faces as they heaved up and down like a sunset on a stormy sea hit by the winds of gaiety. A peculiar fusion of smells filled his nostrils: a bit of tropical flower fragrance, some musky burning wood, and the pleasantly salty scent of sweat. His euphoria was abruptly interrupted by an urgent voice that spoke to him out of nowhere: "What the fuck are you doing? Why are you taking so long? Get to Granada pronto if you want to figure out what all those visions are about!"

The bluenette turned to Cliff just as the voice faded. He pressed his hands to his lover's bulky pecs and watched as the firelight shimmied over the curves of his body. They looked into each others eyes and saw the confusion swirling within them…

"Did you hear that too?!" they both exclaimed at the same time.

**TO BE CONTINUED!**

(A/N: Yes, Cliff calls himself 'Lord Cliff' in his thoughts :D)


	14. Chapter 14: Cliff? Greeton's Idol?

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt

Rating: PG-13

**Summary**: The crew finally arrives in the Greeton capital of Granada. Strange things happen as soon as they walk through the main gates. More is revealed about Cliff & Fayt's weird visions, Sophia gets very angry at someone, Coco and Loco get into trouble, and we end with Cliff opening up about his past. Can't give away too much!

Shout Outs - _**Zel**_: Oh there's more schoolgirl where that came from :D expect another scene. LOL omg u thought Cliff might wear that outfit?! HAHA. This fantasy show I watch called Beastmaster - this muscular guy runs around with no shirt on and he talks to animals...kinda reminds me of Cliff...and he has a healer friend that tags along with him and he protects him - has two ferrets in it called Kodo and Podo. So I just came up with my own similar names :D THANKS so much for the SO TTET manga link! thats awesome. im on volume 3 and its very good. i think there is more CliffxFayt in the game tho ;) i hate fu'tards. good rant. thats why a katana comes in handy sometimes :D btw, we are taking over FF with our CliffxFayt stories! go us! _**Spectral**_: Thanks for the PM. Stupid school. I sent u one back. Enjoy...

**Chapter 14:**

The view from above is unlike any other. Soaring high in the sky, the Greeton flyer who kidnapped Sophia flapped onwards towards the grand city of Granada. He never tired of watching the world from above, especially on such a picture perfect summer day. His vibrantly reddish wings stood all alone in a sky saturated by a sapphire shade of blue as streams of air spiraled past him, coaxing his skin to life with their wispy touch. This was freedom at its finest and he thought how lucky he was to be able to go pretty much wherever he wanted without the burdens of land travel. _Quiet, peaceful, refreshing_.

Stretching his arms out as far as he could, the flyer was now gliding across the rainforest below, passing gentle hills of trees and a conspicuous lake that sent the sun's rays bouncing back up to him. He followed the winding path of the river that left the lake's end and eventually spilled over a cliff into a pool surrounded by black rocks. The road to Granada from the outlying towns was now visible and it looked as if a giant had taken a dagger and struck it straight along the earth, separating the jungle into two as easily as one would a watermelon. Soon the high stone walls surrounding Granada and separating it from the woods came into view and the flyer began his descent to the plaza just inside the towering main gate.

A sensuous waft of ocean air blew past the flyer as the city grew larger and larger. He could see the sea far off on the other side of Granada and the fresh breeze felt wonderful as it caressed his charcoal hair and sent it flapping behind him. He watched as a group of six people sauntered through the entranceway, led by a couple with blue and blond hair. Stopping in mid-air, the flyer slowly lowered himself with long strokes of his wings and landed softly on the glassy street. Staring briefly at the travelers, he spun around in a circle, tucked his wings close to his back, and marched off towards the palace.

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Fayt, Cliff, and crew breathed audible sighs of relief as they approached the gateway to Granada. It was the day after the festive bonfire at Wizaria and Braedon had led them to the main roadway where they had said their farewells. Fayt had been pondering what the visions and voices he was hearing could possibly be about, especially now that he knew Cliff was having similar ones too. They had begun to see Greetoners flying overhead this way and that and their red, orange, and yellow wings made them stand out like sore thumbs against the sky and its scattered clouds.

They had finally reached their destination, after one too many delays. Fayt's anxiety over Sophia was deepening and he started doubting himself over whether they had wasted too much time in the jungle. With Cliff's left arm rested snugly over his shoulders, the bluenette found it possible to at least partially forget his unease as he strolled past the huge wooden doors of the city. The crew stopped suddenly and had varied reactions to what they were seeing in front of them. Cliff shouted 'What the?' while behind them Nel uttered 'It can't be.' Other travelers continued past the party as they stood frozen in shock.

What really surprised them was that the city had such a futuristic look to it. All of the streets were made of translucent blue glass and they were impeccably clean. The wide plaza in front of them sported a gigantic fountain surrounded by a quadrangle shaped park littered by people both with and without wings. Looking farther into the distance, the party saw a city of contrasts. The houses lining the roads had white and blue glass walls — only see through in certain areas — and the roofs were made from the rainforest wood that was plentiful to the region. Walkways spreading outwards from the main entrance were lined with palm trees and some of the taller buildings had topical bushes growing on their roofs or hanging off balconies. The step temple from Cliff and Fayt's visions was visible in the centre of the city — the only stone building in Granada made from a profusion of green, yellow, and blue painted rock — but neither remembered what it looked like so they didn't recognize what they were seeing.

Nel broke the silence. "Now this is intriguing. I've heard all about how Greeton is the most technologically advanced society on Elicoor, but this is my first time visiting the capital. It's a little different than I imagined…"

"I'd never expect to see a place like this on an underdeveloped planet," Maria stated blankly as she squinted her eyes from the sun.

"Hmph. What the hell was the King thinking by planning an attack on Aquaria and not Greeton? Ha! This place looks a whole lot better than that rotten hole you call Aquios," Albel declared, meeting Nel's icy glare. "I'd sure love to slice the wings off some of these cowards so they won't be able to kidnap our people ever again."

Just then a flyer drifted over them and Albel took a wholehearted swipe at it with his katana. Unfortunately it was a little too high up and it safely landed in the park ahead of them. Mirage was opening her mouth to ask about where they should look for Sophia, but she quickly closed it again when she noticed that everyone around them had started staring at Cliff and whispering to each other. People were gasping and covering their mouths in shock as they all tried to get a closer look at him. A group of young women finally walked right up to him to ask his name. After he gave it, they bowed down before him and yelled to the crowd: "The prophecy is true! Our saint has come to save us!"

The mass of Greetoners who had assembled in a circle around the group began to bow down in unison, some holding their hands up towards the sky while others were cupping them in prayer. Coco and Loco poked their heads out of Fayt's bag to see what all the commotion was about before promptly dropping back down after seeing everyone staring in their direction. Cliff was rather enjoying the attention, so he stuck out his chest and put his hands on his hips, flashing the crowd a superman smile.

"All hail Lord Cliff!" one of the girls shouted. "**HAIL LORD CLIFF!**" the crowd responded enthusiastically. Maria, Mirage, and Nel started giggling while Fayt stood there blushing from all the attention they were attracting. Suddenly the swarm of people parted on one side and a man in burgundy robes strolled through. With a loud whoosh he spread his fiery coloured wings out as far as they could go, pushing spectators aside in the process. A wreath of flowers was firmly fixed onto his balding head.

"Welcome. I am Lord Arzem of Granada. So it is true. Hurry, please come with me to the temple so we can talk."

With that the crew was swept away from the zealous onlookers by his bodyguards and whisked down the sparkling streets of Granada.

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Inside the massive temple Lord Arzem led them along tall corridors, past groups of loiterers and into an enormous room that contained rows of pews on one side and a pedestal with a diary on it on the other. An old man was standing over the book, his white robe matching well with his long silvery hair. As they entered the room, Arzem closed the massive doors behind them.

After circling around on the spot to survey his surroundings, Fayt had to settle his main worry of the moment: "Lord Arzem, before we discuss what just happened out there can you tell us if you know of a girl named Sophia that was taken by one of your flyers."

"Ahhh...yes, if she is with you we can let her go. I will go retrieve her. While I am gone, my advisor Darien will answer any questions you have and explain the reaction of our people to your presence." Arzem swiftly exited the room and posted guards outside the door as the old man turned towards them.

Darien's wisdom was displayed in the subtle curves of the wrinkles on his face, the sands of time shaping them as the wind does the dunes of a desert. This man did not have wings, but as he walked towards them there was a spring in his step, a lightness to his motion. Foreseeing a long talk, Albel sat down in one of the pews to sharpen his katana as the sunlight filtered into the room through tall thin windows. Darien strode up close to Cliff and studied the black markings that encircled his neck. The blond stared at him with his arms crossed, not sure whether he liked a stranger this close to him.

"Yes! You are the one! Hurry come see!" Darien cried, ushering them over to the pedestal.

There, on the diary's open page, was a diagram of a male Klausian with those distinctive tattoo-like lines on his neck. Fayt and Cliff both blinked at the picture, trying to figure out how this could happen.

"The prophecy of this book and its teachings tell of a day when a man with these markings will come to our city and save us from terrible invaders that look like Greetoners with wings but are actually weapons of destruction. Our entire religion is based upon this book and to us you truly are a saint! Now for us to be certain, please tell me if you have had any visions of this place. The scripture says we will know for sure it is our saviour if he has weird visions..." Darien was practically jumping up and down beside them.

Cliff's eyes widened in remembrance. "Yo man! I saw this very diary in a vision I had in Arias! This very room…" The blond closed his eyes and stood silently as Fayt looked at him anxiously.

"Cliff, this is really strange…" the bluenette began before Darien interrupted.

"No! Don't you see?! The prophecy will be fulfilled! Let me explain. One thousand years ago a visionary man wrote this scripture which foretold of an invasion by powerful enemies that would wipe out our entire planet and many others. The people who would send these monsters are supposedly from an alternate universe. He had been born to prevent this from ever happening and he tried to destroy the culprit — a company that was conducting secret killing campaigns in his own world and that would eventually attack our world — but he failed in his attempt. He promised in the book that this very year someone from his blood lineage would arrive here with those markings and carry on his mission, this time being successful. And that saint is you Lord Cliff!"

"Wha…?" the blond muttered, opening his eyes again and seeing Sophia and Arzem entering the room.

"SOPHIA!" Fayt exclaimed, running over and giving her a big hug. Her clothes were a bit dirty, but otherwise she seemed fine, her eyes as bright as ever.

"Are you okay? What did they do to you?"

Clenching her fists she recounted her imprisonment. "It was terrible Fayt! They thought I was some sort of spy so they kept questioning me and when I said I didn't know what they were talking about they dunked my head in a toilet over and over again!! I thought they were going to drown me. Then they made me undress and they tickled me all over with the tip of their feathers! You have no idea how horrible it is to have that happen and not be able to do anything about it!" By now her breathing had quickened and her bottom lip was quivering slightly.

"I'm tremendously sorry Ms. Sophia. We thought we had evidence that you were a spy. The flyer who kidnapped you will be punished, I can assure you that," Arzem replied. "Any friend of Lord Cliff is a friend of ours."

Sophia glared at him and inhaled loudly through her teeth. "And that's not all, they also forced me to eat **Brussel sprouts!** THE grossest food in the universe." She shivered as she recalled having the vile green balls stuffed down her throat.

Maria had been sympathetic with Sophia's plight up until the Brussel sprouts. "Come on Sophia, it couldn't have been that bad."

"**WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!**" Sophia shrieked, clearly on edge from being incarcerated while Cliff and Fayt jaunted around the jungle making love under waterfalls.

Without warning, Sophia lunged at Maria and tackled her to the ground, her eyes widened like the rim of a toilet bowl. Much high-pitched screaming followed as Sophia yanked at Maria's azure hair and the latter fought back by slapping her hard across the cheek. "_PSYCHO BITCH!_" They grabbed each others arms and Sophia tried to wrestle Maria until she surrendered while the bluenette tried to push the Earthling off of her. Sophia was about to sink her teeth into the Quark leader's forearm when Mirage seized both of them in mid-battle and hauled them to their feet.

"Apologize, both of you, now," she commanded. "Please."

As they both hung their heads and said sorry, Sophia caught sight of Albel sitting on the edge of his seat and could tell that he had been very amused by the battle between them. _Is that a puddle of drool…?_

"Whoa Sophia...calm down, I think you need some rest," Fayt offered, his ears still ringing from the screaming. "Lord Arzem, is there somewhere we can relax?"

"Ahh, yes. I will take you to your rooms and we will continue this conversation tomorrow. By the way Lord Cliff, there is a throne reserved for you in the palace attached to this temple. If you need any help at all, just ask any of our servants."

Cliff was standing beside his boyfriend, still in a bit of a daze from the day's events.

"Come Cliff," Fayt ordered, grabbing his hand and dragging him after Arzem.

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The next morning, Fayt and Cliff awoke in a lavishly decorated room and were treated to an enormous breakfast of scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon, and hash browns. The evening before Fayt had had a long discussion with Sophia to soothe her nerves and reassure her she wasn't a psycho bitch as Maria had alleged. Cliff was awfully quiet as they ate and eventually Lord Arzem came to take him to the throne room so the royal court could formally greet him. Fayt sat alone in the bedroom not sure what to do when he heard Nel shout from across the hallway. He rushed over to see what was up.

"FAYT!" she cried as he walked into her room, "When I woke up one of your creatures was curled up and sleeping in my hair! You should keep a closer eye on them."

As Nel was talking, Loco bolted across the floor from under the bed and slithered up Fayt's leg and onto his shoulder, hissing at the crimson-haired woman in front of him. Ignoring the ferret, she turned to the mirror and started picking fur out of her hair.

"I'm sorry Nel. I didn't know they had escaped our room. I guess when Cliff left they got out…"

"**BAHHHHHH!**" Another scream echoed down the hallway and through the open door.

Fayt darted over to Albel's room, fairly sure he was going to find Coco there getting into trouble. Sure enough Albel was holding Coco tightly in one hand as the ferret writhed around trying to bite him. Albel's hair was puffed up all funny on one side from sleeping on it.

"Fayt! Your precious weasel was snooping around my room when I woke up and look what it did! **It shat in my shoe, the filthy maggot,**" Albel snapped as he pointed to the shoe that was smeared with ferret poo. "And that's not all," he continued, his eyes burning hot like magma, "I fucking stepping into it and got it all over my bare foot!"

The bluenette couldn't help but snicker through his nose. "I'm sorry Albel. I'll keep better watch of them. Come Coco."

"I SURE HOPE SO LEINGOD! Next time they try to pull that off I'll cut them in half like worms and believe me you won't have four ferrets, you'll just have four dead pieces of them!"

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The rest of the crew went out to look around town while Fayt stayed in the palace, worried about Cliff. He was playing with Coco and Loco on his bed when the Klausian burst into the room in mid-afternoon.

"UGH! I finally escaped from all those wackos out there. Can ya believe it Fayt? They think I'm some kinda god or somthin'. They were all lining up to come bow before me and they wanted to touch my neck...but I didn't let 'em."

Fayt noticed that Cliff had a flower wreath around his head like Arzem and he also had a jewel necklace dangling around his neck. "I don't know what to say Cliff. I'm really confused."

"Tell me about it! Anyways, let's jet outta here and get some peace and quiet. I was told there's a hill on one side of Granada that overlooks the city so we might as well go and take a look..."

Feeling a sudden urge, Fayt ran over to Cliff and spontaneously leaped onto him, holding himself up by wrapping his legs around the blond. Cliff laughed as Fayt kissed his neck. "I wasn't gone that long was I?" The bluenette stuck out his bottom lip and jumped down so they could walk out of the palace.

It was a bit of a hassle getting to this hill since they kept getting accosted on the streets by Greetoners interested in seeing their saviour up close. Word had spread quickly. The weather also wasn't so great today as an ominous fog had settled on the city, darkening the otherwise vibrant streetscape and giving the couple an eerie claustrophobic feeling.

They finally marched up the long road to the lookout, free of rabid spectators, and emerged out of the low-laying cloud into the brilliance of the summer sun. They sat down together on the grassy slopes and looked out towards the city. All below them an ivory blanket of fog spread out as far as they could see and only the very tip of the temple poked through. It appeared as though the clouds were another layer of the planet's surface as there were higher and lower sections, the latter looking like sky rivers and the former looking like something you could walk on.

They both sat with their legs outstretched and their arms behind them for support. "Fayt, do ya think it's weird that both of our best friends are girls?" Cliff suddenly asked out of nowhere.

"...No, not really," the bluenette responded, running a hand over the hair on the back of his head. "Who says that guys have to have male best friends? Where did that come from anyways?"

"I dunno. I've just been thinkin' bout a lot of things since we got here."

Fayt snuggled up closer to Cliff who was concentrating on the fog below. "Why? Is there something you want to tell me?" he asked, staring anxiously towards the Klausian.

"Have I ever told ya bout my parents Fayt? ….No, I didn't think so. Well since I know so much bout yours I figure you should know more about my past. Hmmm...how do I put this," the blond pondered, mindlessly tugging the grass with his fingers as he searched for the right words. "Y'know, my dad wasn't exactly the nicest person when I was little. Actually...he was an abusive...sonuvabitch, if ya know what I mean," the blond exclaimed nervously, peering out of the corner of his eyes at the bluenette.

Fayt's brow wrinkled with concern as he listened to his sweetie. "What? Really? Towards you?"

"Oh, no no no. Towards my mom," he replied, sighing heavily. "I can still remember when I used to lie at the bottom of the stairs and eavesdrop on them fightin' in their room. I musta been like ten years old. They tried to hide it from me, but I was smart enough to know what was goin' on. She kept saying she'd bumped into things around the house…"

Cliff closed his eyes and lay back onto the grass. Fayt followed him down and rested on his burly arm, listening intently while thinking how glad he was that Cliff was opening up to him.

"Anywho, when I was a few years older I really started urging my mom to throw him out. I always thought of what I would say to them if I wasn't so damn scared…"

_Hey girl you know you drive me crazy  
One word puts a rhythm in my head  
Still I'll never understand why you hang around  
I see what's going down_

_Cover up with makeup in the mirror  
Tell yourself it's never gonna happen again  
You cry alone and then he swears he loves you_

_Do you feel like a man when you push her around?  
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?  
Well, I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's gonna end  
As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found_

_Face down in the dirt she said, this doesn't hurt she said I've finally had enough_

_A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect  
Every action in this world will bear a consequence  
If you wade around forever you will surely drown  
I see what's going down_

_I see the way you go and say you're right again,  
Say you're right again, **heed my lecture**_

_- 'Face Down' by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus_

"...Then one day she did finally divorce him and he died shortly after in a car accident," the blond continued, the moisture gathering in his eyes belying his straight face. "Later on, I kept beating myself up over the fact that I hadn't been able to do anything to protect my mom from him."

"But there was nothing you could have done Cliff. You were too young…"

"I know," he replied quietly, watching a dragonfly flitter past them. "But from then on I promised myself I would protect someone who needed it the way I couldn't to my mom...**And then I found you…**" At this Cliff turned and smiled lovingly at Fayt. "Thing is, my dad was so great when he was in a good mood, but then there was his dark other side, so I never knew what to think of him. How can ya miss someone like that? Like I do…There were so many things I wish I could've discussed with him when I got older...I guess Mirage was always there for me and that helped…"

"Shhhh," Fayt cooed gently as he leaned in and pressed his lips over Cliff's, feeling the blond's tense body loosen up and relax from the long, sweet kiss. Cliff felt much better, much lighter, after revealing his internal pain to his boyfriend. He decided to change the subject.

"So Fayt, why didn't cha tell Darien that you were having visions and hearing voices too?"

"I'm not sure. I don't trust him, to tell you the truth. I have a feeling he didn't tell us the whole prophecy, I think he's hiding something from us…"

"Ya might be onto somethin' there. Let's go take a look at that diary ourselves."

**TO BE CONTINUED!**

(A/N: my story's gonna get darker for the last few chapters but i'll still keep it funny. i can see the end tho...makes me sad)


	15. Chapter 15: The Truth Comes Out

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt + Plus another secret one!

Rating: PG-13

**Summary**: Okay I lied about the story getting darker. Not till next chapter. I keep getting funny ideas. Chapter 15 begins with Cliff and Fayt infiltrating the temple with a little help from Coco and Loco to reveal the full details of this strange prophecy involving them. Fayt visits **Mirage** for the dirt on Cliff and she has something up her sleeve for everyone's favourite bodyguard...

Shout Outs - _**Zel**_: I'm SO glad that you liked Sophia's torture and her fight with Maria! Are you sure you're not that evil...hahah lol jk. I really feel sorry for Albel and his feet...I've had that happen and its SO gross. I always felt that Cliff had more to him than what was revealed in the game. I mean there has to be a reason he is so protective huh? At least my idea for his past helps to explain his present actions a bit. ok i agree more with u now about the manga. after reading vol 3 & 4 there are some great cliffxfayt moments :D esp when Fayt collapses and when they are riding on that beast together! Cliff is like 'hold on tight' and im like YES YES!! hold onto him Fayt! and then that hilarious scene in the extras where Cliff wants him to sneak out and Fayt wants to sleep. he thinks Fayt is into men and then he's like 'i need some air!' cuz he's so happy about it! LOL just like in my story where Cliff needed to take a walk after Fayt told him... _**Spectral**_: No more school! Read my story :D **_DeathsRain & Blackdragon3_**: Thanks for adding me to your alert list! PLEASE REVIEW! I need moral support! Everyone review! Merci to all my readers.

**Chapter 15:**

_There's so much more to Cliff than meets the eye_. _But I already knew that_.

Our inseparable couple sauntered into the temple and headed towards the cavernous worship room containing the prophetic diary. As they turned a corner two guards came into view, positioned on either side of the closed doors. Cliff abruptly stopped in his tracks. Fayt was following behind so closely that he smashed right into the blond's back, his nose and cheek flattening like a pancake into the other's shoulder blade muscles. Letting out a muffled cry, the lucky boy was then shoved backwards out of the sight of the guards.

"Why would it be closed all of a sudden?" Fayt whispered as he rubbed his bruised nose.

"I dunno. Seems kinda fishy to me. It's such a public place. People wandering around everywhere. Hmmm...what should we do, partner?"

The bluenette chuckled to himself. _'Partner'? What a dufus_. "I've got an idea. Let's go back to our room." Cliff just stood there staring off into space. "CLIFF! Hello? **Hot and sexy bodyguard?!** Let's go!" Fayt grabbed the blond's hand and yanked him down the hallway, the latter almost falling over because his feet couldn't keep up with the bluenette's breakneck pace.

When they swung open the door to their room in the palace, the first thing they saw was Coco and Loco curled up together and sleeping on the bed.

"Okay here's the plan…" Fayt began as Cliff listened closely, comfortably leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and one leg bent.

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With each of them carefully carrying a fluffy ferret in their arms like it was their newborn, Cliff and Fayt went back to the temple hallway and crouched down at the corner so the guards couldn't see them.

"We need you to distract those guys," the bluenette told the ferrets, who had their heads perked up at attention. "Take them on a wild goose chase." Coco squeaked cheerfully and tried to wriggle out of Fayt's grasp.

"Ummm...Fayt? How often do ya talk to the ferrets?" the blond asked with a genuinely worried glare.

"**All the time!**" Fayt responded with a wry smile. "What? You think it's weird? I used to talk to my dog incessantly at home. I'm sure they get most of it…"

"Uh huh. 'Cause we know that animals speak the same language as us," Cliff quipped, his voice full of sarcasm.

"Duh dummy. You should try it sometime. You aren't a real pet owner until someone finds you talking to your pets all alone like a crazy person. Isn't that right Loco?" the bluenette joked as he ran a hand over the feisty ferret's head.

The Klausian still wasn't convinced. "Fayt, I'm pretty sure all they hear is 'blah blah blah...time to eat...blah blah blah'."

The young man sighed and shook his head. "Cliff, believe me, they know what we want them to do….Don't worry, I have a hunch," he winked.

The blond's nose wrinkled up in annoyance. "HEY! Not that again! Are ya makin' fun of me?"

"Ummm...no?" Fayt offered, avoiding eye contact and snickering as he released a squirming Coco from his grip.

Cliff scratched the side of his head before finally letting Loco run after his sister. The two ferrets pounced along the stone floor, Loco trying to bite at Coco's bushy tail. The two guards caught sight of the rodents running towards them and one shouted: "Hey! What are those things doing in here? After them!"

Coco and Loco veered off to the left down another corridor with the guards in hot pursuit as their squeaks faded into the distance. Out of nowhere, Cliff grabbed an unsuspecting Fayt and held him in a cozy headlock while he tousled up his hair with one hand.

"Ah ha! Ya were makin' fun of me! Ya little devil!" The blond's trademark smile had returned, something Fayt hadn't seen since they had arrived in Granada.

"Wow Cliff. You're slower today than you were when we raced up to that ledge behind the waterfall…" _(and you fucked my brains out!) _the bluenette cracked as a huge, warm bicep pressed against his neck. "Umm, bodyguards — let alone boyfriends — aren't supposed to suffocate the person they're protecting…"

"Oh, ya, sorry. Let's go check out that room."

Double checking that no one else was around, they snuck into the room with the pews and the diary, quietly shutting the doors behind them. Fayt walked up first and began to flip through its pages. Cliff was spacing out again, thinking about what he had told the bluenette earlier at the lookout.

"Look at this Cliff!" Fayt yelled suddenly, pointing at the book. "I knew it. Here are the full details about the prophecy. Apparently this man, your ancestor, was trying to destroy something called 'The Sphere Company' in this other universe. As the most powerful organization around, the company covertly went after groups of people who were resisting its rule and...oh my god...this guy had a wife with blue hair who was captured by the bad guys…"

Cliff's eyes lit up, softening his vacant expression. "I get it! I had a vision about some guy who looked like me but who had dark hair and he was watching helplessly as this woman was being dragged away from him. That must be what this is about."

"Yes of course. They captured his wife and then eventually got him. It says here the two were not murdered like the others but banished to our world, 3-D space — whatever that means — and that they died during the transmission."

"...And that was my vision about the man standing in a transporter, surrounded by soldiers."

"...So apparently their genes were scattered through space and reborn on two planets, Klaus and Earth, where the couple's lineage continued on for a thousand years…Is this going where I think it is?...and the prophecy says those two timeless lineages will meet once again and when they do, the descendants will know since their tender love will cause images to flash through their heads about this very prophecy…"

Fayt fell silent. He could hear the faint howling of the wind outside. _It all fits together...the vision in the waterfall I had of the woman kissing Cliff's relative...she looked like me…the blood on the wall of the Sphere Company...that voice: 'Destiny awaits, my child', was that her?...this temple and the diary...THE DIARY!_

He flipped the page. "Yes, so the man tried to bring his diary with him to our world and after the botched transport it somehow ended up here in Greeton — an Out of Place Artifact? — where the residents turned it into scripture and a religion. It ends by saying that your ancestor gave up after his wife was taken away...never give up it says and the invaders will be vanquished along with the evil company and its leader, restoring balance to the galaxy...hmmm…" (The next page was blank, but Fayt failed to notice there was more writing after that).

"Do ya think…" Cliff began as he felt a strange tingly sensation travel through his body.

The bluenette interrupted, feeling rather woozy. "No...that woman isn't my ancestor...is she?"

"Well according to this, yes she is. We both had the visions didn't we? Hmmm...yup, I think my head's gonna explode," the Klausian declared, sitting down on a pew and rubbing his face in his hands.

Fayt came over to join him, resting a hand on the Klausian's back. "So does this mean I'm a saint too? Why are Arzem and Darien hiding my part in all this…"

"Y'know what they say about spirituality…_Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful_," Cliff lectured eloquently, waving a finger in the air. "Well I'd venture that Arzem doesn't actually believe it and is altering what the diary says to suit his needs and to remain in power. They may have added to the diary throughout the years or maybe they change the copies they give out."

"So we're supposed to save the world together?" the bluenette wondered out loud.

"Ugh. Don't even say that. I'm more confused than Nel after hearing a dirty joke."

"...Or Albel in a spaceship," Fayt wisecracked as he gave his stressed sweetie a hug.

"Or Sophia," Cliff continued.

"Or Sophia what?" Fayt inquired. The blond just let out a deep laugh.

-------------------------------------------

Fayt and Cliff made it safely back to their room without anyone knowing they had snuck into the temple. Coco and Loco scampered through the doorway soon after — they had lost the guards — and Cliff rewarded them with some of his lunch. He even praised them and asked them if they liked the food, causing Fayt to crack a smile as he lay comfortably on the bed. _Now all we need is for Albel to walk in and see Cliff talking to ferrets… _

Soon after they split up and Cliff went to look for Nel, Maria, and Sophia while Fayt went down the hall to talk to Mirage about what they had learned. Albel was sleeping and seeing that Fayt didn't want to drown in his own blood yet he decided to talk to the Elicoorian later. The bluenette explained the prophecy to Mirage as she listened intently and shook her head from time to time in disbelief. She was at a loss about what to do so the conversation shifted to another topic.

Fayt sat on the bed shifting his legs around as he spoke. "Mirage, can you tell me anything else about Cliff that he might be hiding from me? He opened up to me earlier today and now I'm curious what else I'm not aware of."

An all-knowing smile spread across her face that set her dimples on display as she sat with her legs crossed. "Well now Fayt. You came to the right person. I guess the first thing you should know is that Cliff lies about his age…"

"**WHAT!? **You're joking," the young man screeched, uncrossing his arms and hitting them onto his thighs.

"I'm serious. He's actually 31 not 36. He likes to fib about his age so that the people Quark deals with give him more respect. I guess there's something about being older...I don't know if you've noticed that but people your age just don't get the same treatment or trust as older ones do."

"No, I totally agree. I knew it too. I thought he couldn't have been that old. He sure doesn't act like it…" Both of them had a good laugh at this remark. "It's probably better that he's 31 anyways so it doesn't look like he's such a pedophile with me…" Fayt joked, chuckling more to himself than with Mirage. "So what, 12 years difference? Not that bad I'd say."

"Not at all Fayt. It doesn't matter….What are you thinking about?" she asked suddenly as she saw his eyes glazing over.

"Oh, ha ha. I'm thinking we should get him back somehow for lying to me."

"Roger. Now there's an idea. And I know just the thing. Let's just say this wouldn't be the first time I've tricked him to teach him a lesson," she winked.

"Ahhh, I see how it is. What would Cliff be without you," Fayt grinned, getting rather excited as Mirage shared her plans with him.

-------------------------------------------

Lord Arzem paced in his room as Darien stood before him.

"Do you think they will try to leave?"

"I'm not sure, m'lord. Should we close the gate to make sure?"

"Hmmm...yes, it's getting late so the traffic in and out of the city should be just a trickle. Tell the guards to seal the gates and let's get going on the ceremony preparations."

"What about the boy? Do you think he will be a problem once we contain the visitor? He seems to have a connection with Lord Cliff and you know what the scripture says about that."

"You read too much into it Darien. Besides, there isn't much he can do magic-wise within these stone walls. Make sure they don't get into the main chamber of the temple though, I don't want them getting any ideas. And keep me updated on the resistance's campaign."

"Yes, sire."

-------------------------------------------

Before long, the whole group had gathered in the main plaza since Mirage had suggested they leave the city for a bit because she couldn't get in touch with the Diplo for some reason. She advised using the communicator outside Granada. It was still foggy as the crew marched towards the main gate, turning heads as they went. One of the guards approached Cliff and put up her hand in front of him.

"I'm sorry Sir Cliff but my orders are to prevent you from leaving at this time," the female guard stated firmly.

"Oh really…" the blond muttered, never happy about being ordered around. "Well what if I give you a little somethin' here…" The Klausian snuck some Fol bills out of his pocket and tried to slip them into the guard's hand.

"M'lord! I can't accept a bribe!" the guard uttered loudly as she smacked the base of her spear onto the ground. "...But I guess there is something you could do to entertain me and the other guards...we are quite bored today...if you do it we'll let you through."

Cliff stared warily at the stranger in front of him before turning around to look at the others. Fayt and Mirage nodded their heads vigorously at him. "Fine. What is it?"

The guard leaned in closer to his ear and whispered her request, pointing to Albel at the same time.

"**WHAT!?!?**" the blond bellowed, his jaw dropping faster than his clothes at Fayt's request. "THERE'S NO WAY IN HELL THAT I'M KISSING ALBEL!"

Mirage and Fayt tried to keep a straight face while Albel looked just as shell-shocked as Cliff did.

"I'm sorry Lord Cliff but that's the only way I'm letting you through. Come on. Lighten up our day." The others guards, a dozen or so of them, nodded their heads violently in agreement, some rubbing their hands together in anticipation as their armor clanked about.

"Why I oughta…" he mumbled gruffly, smashing a fist into his open palm.

"Cliff, we HAVE TO get out of here. What if the Diplo is in trouble?" Mirage piped in, her voice seething with urgency.

The blond let out a deep sigh. He turned to look nervously at Fayt. "I don't care, just do it so we can leave," the bluenette responded tersely.

"Albel, come 'ere then…"

Albel glared at the guard then at the Klausian before brushing his hair off one shoulder and striding over to Fayt's boyfriend. "I want all you fools to know that I don't want to do this anymore than Fittir does. Seeing as we have no other choice and I want to get out of here, I'm taking one for the group," he hissed, never one to back down from a challenge.

Albel and Cliff stood in front of each other — a few magenta flower petals blowing past in the wind — as the rest of the crew clasped their hands to their mouths, completely flabbergasted that two arch enemies were about to…. Maria broke the silence with her sniggering so Fayt glowered at her until she stopped. There could be no distractions for this momentous kiss.

Cliff puckered his lips and closed his eyes as he very slowly started leaning in towards Albel's lips. The Elicoorian did the same...Cliff's face started crunching up in disgust as he got closer and closer to Albel's soft, warm mouth…

The Klausian suddenly pulled away. "Oh man! Okay, okay. I can do this…"

He closed his eyes again and began leaning in all over again, his lips really sticking out this time, as far as he could make them. Sophia looked like she was going to explode with laughter because Fayt could see tears streaming out of her eyes and her cheeks were filling out on either side of the hands clasped tightly over her mouth. Albel's eyebrows were inching backwards up his forehead away from Cliff as the blond's left leg started involuntarily lifting off the ground….**SMOOCH!** Cliff and Albel's lips finally met for a brief second in surreal glory before they both cried out in revulsion and spat onto the blue streets in synchronization, wiping their mouths off in the process. A boisterous round of applause came from the ecstatic guards and from some Greetoners who were gathering around to see what all the fuss was about. Sophia finally burst into hysterics and Fayt and Mirage high-fived each other as Maria showed them the secret blackmail picture she took with her quad scanner. Nel also seemed to enjoy it, which was a little surprising coming from Ms. No Nonsense.

"YUCK! EWW GROSS, barf me a river!" Cliff roared, bending over with his hands on his knees to recover himself. Albel was wiping his mouth off with his shirt and he pulled some gooseberry juice out of his bag to wash away the Fittir aftertaste.

"Bravo, gentlemen," the guard exclaimed gleefully, fanning herself quickly with one hand. "You may pass."

Mirage sauntered up to the guard and placed a large Fol bill in her hand before shaking it to thank her.

"**MMIIRRAAGGEE!!!**" Cliff howled, clenching his fingernails into his palm as his face turned tulip red. "You were in on this?"

"YOU CONNIVING KLAUSIAN COCKROACH!" Albel snarled as he chewed madly on a mint flavoured piece of gum.

"Cliff calm down. I told you, you're too carefree. You just went along with what that guard said without thinking about the consequences or other possibilities," she said, rolling her eyes. "Oh yes, and there's the fact that you LIED about your age to Fayt."

The blond jerked his head to look at the bluenette, who looked quite satisfied with himself. Cliff threw his arms downwards: "**I'm sorry Fayt!** Geez...I've been saying that a lot lately haven't I…"

Cliff may have simmered down but Albel most definitely had not. He started screaming at Mirage, swinging his arms around and generally all out losing control. He was about to brandish his sword when Fayt wandered up to him, raised one finger, and poked him hard in the side of his stomach: "**Kyah!**" Albel deflated like a beach ball on a barnacle and collapsed into a heap on the ground. Fayt brushed his hands together and looked around for anyone else who wanted the same treatment.

Just then the order came from Lord Arzem to shut the massive main gates and a guard switched on the mechanical device in the ramparts that quickly sealed the doors shut as the crew watched helplessly.

"What is the meaning of this?" Maria shouted at the guards.

"I think it's finally time for a fight, eh?" Cliff suggested hoarsely, trying to get over his lingering embarrassment. "And then you and I are gonna have a talk," he said, motioning to Fayt, who pointed to himself like Cliff couldn't possibly be referring to him.

"SEIZE THEM!"

**MAHAHA! TO BE CONTINUED!**

(A/N: Oh man oh man CliffxAlbel is so funny. I love that scene with them in the jungle. Yay Mirage shes awesome. I'm not sure what to do with my story yet...i'm gonna have more time since school is out soon, i dont know if i can keep it going though after these Granada events play themselves out. maybe i can turn it into an MPREG? lol)


	16. Chapter 16: My Last Night Here With You

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt

Rating: **R - **Warning: Yaoi, please don't read if you don't like this.

**Summary**: Fayt and Cliff show off how good they are in battle together as they take on the Greeton guards in their quest to leave Granada. The lemon ensues back in their room at the palace, but they are uneasy from strange dreams they have been having. Cliff has a talk with Fayt about grieving and the loss of his dad. Finally, Lord Arzem sets his secret plans in motion...

Shout Outs - _**Zel**_: Finally updating! Haha you're on the ball. My inspiration for the prophecy **is** from FF X-2. And Cliff is totally not 36. I dunno what they were thinking with the manual. So i fixed that :D OMG, today this inflatable globe that my five year old brother has was sitting on the kitchen table and it was deflated and i was like HAHAHA its Albel! on a barnacle! lol. ya that april fool's joke was mean. when i checked the page SO TTET was winning in the poll so it would have remained anyways :D are u into the other series too? In reference to your profile...haha you're crazy too like Loco! sounds like the physics trip was fun. im so bad at it but its good u like it :D LOL FASTER HARDER! haha. oh ya i forget to press 'save' too in the account area of FF net!

**Chapter 16 (censored version, cut scene is replaced by a type in-link if you wanna read it):**

"Leave this one to us!" Cliff shouted to the rest of the crew as they backed away. "Fayt!"

The bluenette bolted to his boyfriend's side and they were swiftly surrounded by at least a dozen guards. Standing back to back, they both flashed confident smiles to their captive audience. Fayt stood with his sword at the ready, his determination displayed in the strained lines under his eyes. Suddenly, Cliff reached around and started feeling up the bluenette's ass. _What the hell..._

"**CLIFF! **What are you doing?"

"Just grabbin' some blackberries from yer back pocket. **Relax**, I'm all out….Ya ready?" the Klausian inquired, his neck muscles tensing up. Fayt nodded in agreement.

Cliff clenched his right fist and slowly rotated his arm outwards. "Let's pulverize them!"

In a spinning blur of movement the blond's fist pounded into the chest of a guard in front of him who flew backwards onto the ground, armor rattling on the glassy street surface. Cliff didn't stop there. He whirled around sending guards flying in different directions as his deadly knuckles did their due damage. Fayt, meanwhile, was knocking sentinels over left and right, occasional spurts of blood glistening like melting rubies against the foggy grey skies. One of the guards managed to sneak up behind him and a mace soon brushed along his back as he swerved out of the way just in time.

"SOPHIA!"

"Healing!" she squeaked back, watching from the sidelines.

"Fayt! Here, jump on me," Cliff ordered, linking his fingers together as a bunch of guards leaped to their feet and charged back towards the couple. Fayt ran towards his buddy's hands, which formed a platform for him, and jumping up he placed one foot onto Cliff's palms as the latter flung his arms into the air, shooting the bluenette way up into the sky. Focusing on where he was going to swing his sword when he came back down, Fayt's eyes shifted from side to side like a lion on the hunt or like Maria when she was getting ready to pounce on him (HA!). Shooting down from the heavens like a meteorite, Fayt blasted around in a ring of fire, flattening everyone around him as he smashed into the ground. He finished the move by giving Cliff a spirited high-five.

Just as the guards were getting up and looking for more, Lord Arzem arrived on the scene with a group of servants from the palace.

"**THAT'S ENOUGH!**" he barked at the guards, most of which were moaning in pain and clutching onto each other. Dismissing them with a swing of his arm, they slowly slunk away towards their quarters by the gate. Some of the servants rushed to tend to their wounds. "I'm so sorry Sir Cliff. I don't know what's gotten into them. I told them to close the gate, not to attack you."

"Pffff. I knew something strange was goin' on. But why can't we leave, huh?"

"It's got nothing to do with you. We always close the gate when it gets late, you never know what kind of beasts are lurking in the jungle and will try to attack our city," Arzem replied, gracefully lying through his teeth. "Come with me, I'll escort you all back to your rooms and you can join us for a dinner feast."

"Great. I'm starved," the Klausian bellowed. "Anything to erase this nasty Albel taste from my mouth."

--

Fayt sat quietly in an empty classroom, pretending to do homework as the clock on the wall ticked on by. A handsome male teacher was sitting in his chair by the chalkboards, eyeing the bluenette as he relaxed his feet on the desk in front of him. The teacher was wearing a dark blue dress shirt complete with a tie that clearly wasn't done up right. He looked the student over, starting at his feet and moving upwards.

Fayt wore brown shoes and navy socks that almost went up to his knee and his upper legs were bare except for a sparse spattering of cerulean hair. Around his waist hung a short ocean blue skirt with ruffles that barely covered his undies. The shirt of his school uniform was the same shade of blue except that the V-neck collar had a background of white that was lined with blue stripes. It all matched perfectly with his vibrantly coloured mop of hair. Fayt glanced up from the paper on his desk and his teacher almost slid off the chair as those dazzling emerald eyes stared piercingly at him, beckoning him closer.

The teacher stood up and walked up to the first row of empty desks. "You've been a naughty boy haven't you Fayt. Detention again, for the third time this week. It's almost like you're doing it just to spend time with me here, all alone, after school…" The man undid his belt buckle and flung it to the floor.

"Seems as if you wouldn't be totally wrong," the bluenette responded in a low voice, his pen slipping out of his fingers and clanging on the wooden desk.

"It's time to teach you a lesson. Clearly this whole detention thing isn't the right punishment. You still aren't doing your coursework. Playing video games all day...Ya that's right. I've seen you in the hallways, mashing away at the keys on your gaming system. I've been watching you a lot actually…" At this the instructor unzipped his fly and let his pants drop to the floor. There was a defined bulge poking out of his underwear.

He walked over to Fayt and grabbed the dirty magazine he could see hiding under the papers on the young man's desk. "You like that, huh?" he asked, referring to the pictures of naked men.

"Yup, it's pretty educational," Fayt replied with a smirk.

"Is this what you're gonna major in?"

"**I think I already have really…**"

The teacher lay a hand on Fayt's shoulder. "Guess you're really good at it then?"

"You could say that...I haven't had any complaints yet," the bluenette responded truthfully, tapping his fingers on the side of his desk.

"Well get down on your knees and I'll grade you on your performance. It'll be an oral exam by the way," the older man assured as he brushed his member against Fayt's skirt.

Fayt got up out of his seat and came around to where his instructor was standing. The latter pulled down his undies and let his erect dick flop out into the open. The bluenette knelt down and got smacked in the face before taking the wagging cock in his mouth, slowly sucking up and down its full length. _Oral exam! ORAL EXAM! _Fayt mused, his mind wandering. Gagging ever so slightly, he proceeded to burst out laughing as he fell backwards onto the floor holding his stomach, unable to stop, even if his life depended on it.

"Awww, Fayt c'mon ya ruined it!" Cliff whined, standing there feeling rather forlorn.

He responded after getting his laughter under control: "I'm sorry Cliff. It was just so ridiculous I couldn't help it. Where do you come up with these things? HA! An oral exam," he snickered. "Let's go back to our room and really get naughty…"

"'Kay, fine. But ya just weren't into it enough. After all that effort. And look...now it's all sad and drooping," the blond said, looking downwards.

Fayt sighed heavily. "Pull up your pants silly. This whole role-playing thing is just too weird for me. I'm in a girl's outfit, again. If you ever coax me into doing this for a second time YOU'LL be the one wearing a schoolgirl uniform, I'll make sure of that."

--

The couple left the empty school they had found and marched back to the palace. Fayt wore a large jacket over his uniform to avoid any more attention than they already got. And they got a lot. It seemed that Granada's citizens were becoming utterly enamored by Cliff, their holy saint, and he truly was the talk of the town. Cliff played along, smiling and waving, but Fayt knew he wasn't enjoying it as he did when they first arrived. _And I keep having this nagging feeling that something bad is going to happen_. Lately he'd been having strange and unsettling dreams, and they still hadn't opened the gate today.

The rest of the team had volunteered to snoop around the palace and the city, trying to discover more about the prophecy and what Lord Arzem was hiding from them. But Fayt and Cliff wanted nothing more than to relax, and when you're horny there's no turning back.

As soon as they reached their room they shooed Coco and Loco out and began making out standing up. As the sound of their lips smacking together echoed through the room, Fayt used his keen sense of touch to unbutton Cliff's dress shirt and his pants, once again. Monsieur Fittir returned the favour by slipping off Fayt's schoolgirl shirt but leaving the pretty skirt untouched. They kissed over and over again as the bluenette ran his hands along the curve of Cliff's big chest and up and down the sides of his toned stomach. The Klausian gently rubbed Fayt's upper arms like he was trying to soothe a bruise from some daft monster.

They drifted towards the bed and lay down together, cuddling in each others arms. Resting with his head on Cliff's chest, Fayt stared down the length of the blond's arm through a grassland of golden hairs that fluttered in the wind with every puff of air he directed their way. Captivated by the beauty of Cliff's skin, the young man ran his index finger along the tiny hairs on the other's arm, feeling them sensuously slide between the grooves of his fingerprints. Pulling the arm closer, he proceeded to lick and kiss all over, dampening and exciting the soft, dry desert skin with an afternoon tonguestorm.

Moving Fayt off and onto the bed, Cliff slid downwards and started tugging at the bluenette's skirt with his teeth, trying to pull it down his legs. He eventually gave up and slipped it off with both hands before smothering it over his nose and sniffing deeply, smelling Fayt's fresh, oceany musk (well, at least that's what he thought it smelled like). Grabbing Fayt's dick with his left hand, Cliff got to work. Taking it in his mouth, he ran his lips up and down the warm shaft while breathing heavily through his nose. "Oh that feels so good," Fayt muttered to himself in delight while stroking the blond's thick biceps with one hand. Moving his hand and mouth in synchronization, the blond then jacked off the bottom of Fayt's cock while sucking on the top, sending the young man into a rapturous haze: _HOLY CRAP HE'S GOOD!_

Finishing his oral examination with a slurp, Cliff slithered upwards over Fayt's body and started rubbing his dick against the bluenette's as his face hovered a centimetre away from his lover's. They were both flushed like pink roses and the Klausian's bangs dangled down and tickled Fayt's cheeks. The latter tilted his head up and playfully licked Cliff's nose, a subtle sign he wanted more.

"Hmmm...ya want somethin' from me?"

"Oh yes wise teacher," Fayt said grinning as the hot breaths from his sweety settled on his face. "I'm ready for the final."

"...It's a real pain in the butt, let me tell ya," Lord Cliff joked as his teeth shone through a widening smile. "**It's hard and it's long**, and I hope you can make it through in the allotted time period."

"There's a time limit!" the bluenette chuckled in a high voice. "Oh god Cliff, just fuck me okay. I'm dying here."

"Yessir!"

* * *

And the next 2 paragraphs are NC-17 and therefore cut out. Type this into your address bar: 4-quintessence(dot)livejournal(dot)com(slash)75982(dot)html and scroll down to the red squigglies and read from there.

* * *

After taking a quick shower, they let the ferrets back in and both flopped back into bed. Just before falling asleep, Cliff whispered into Fayt's ear: "Ya passed with flying colours, kid...Bachelor of the Yaoi Arts. Ha ha. I love ya so much…" He kissed a smiling Fayt on the cheek and soon they were both fast asleep.

_I could stay awake just to hear you breathing  
Watch you smile while you are sleeping  
While you're far away and dreaming  
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender  
I could stay lost in this moment forever  
Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure_

--

In his dream, Cliff was back on Klaus sitting on a rock by the ocean as happy as could be. He could tell it was back when the Federation was committing injustices against the planet for not submitting to its rule, but he wasn't thinking about all that as he stared out over the rippled surface of the water. Above all, this was a time when his family was getting along. Everything seemed perfect. The entire dream was exuding an aura of bliss. Behind him his parents were tending to their fruit tree orchard. A young Mirage was strolling down the beach, bending over every once and a while to look at starfish and other interesting sea creatures.

Suddenly, his house and yard behind him faded to black leaving only the ocean in front of him. Flying cars began to materialize over the water and they zigzagged this way and that, shattering the tranquility of the landscape. Cliff felt a terrible anxiety pulse through him but he was unable to move. 'No, I must stop him!' Then out of the blue, two of the cars smashed into each other and burst into an inferno of flames, the smoldering pieces of metal falling into the depths of the sea as a deep voice called out his name...once...twice...then deafening silence. **There was somebody behind him**. He slowly turned his head and there standing over him was someone wearing a black mask and holding a sword in both hands about to bring it down and…

"AHHHHH!"

Cliff abruptly awoke from his dream breathing heavily and sweating all over as he glanced around the room, gathering his bearings. _Calm down, it was just a dream… _he reassured himself. Fayt was still sound asleep beside him, lying on his side facing away from the blond. Coco and Loco were curled up at the end of the bed by Fayt's feet. As Loco's glowing eyes met Cliff's, he had a feeling he may have accidentally kicked his pet during the nightmare. Lowering the covers to his waist, the Klausian rolled onto his side and placed an arm over Fayt, hugging him close. A few minutes later sleep took him again.

--

Fayt awoke from a deep sleep to the wonderful feeling of Cliff holding him in his arms. He didn't want to move because it would probably rouse his sweetheart. The blond was holding onto Fayt so tightly, his sonorous breaths bouncing off the back of the bluenette's neck. Looking downwards, Fayt saw Coco and Loco stirring at his feet and they both started squeaking rather noisily, hoping for their breakfast.

"Shhhh!" Too late. Cliff had woken up and rolled onto his back, rubbing the sleepy sands out of his eyes.

Fayt slid out of bed and snatched some ferret food out of his bag before jumping back in and turning to look at Cliff. The strange dream was still fresh in the Klausian's mind and he figured now was the time to have that 'talk' with Fayt.

"Hey man, can I talk to ya 'bout something?" the blond asked, staring at the ceiling.

"Of course, what's up?"

"Ummm….how are ya takin'…I mean now that Ameena and Dion are gone...are you okay with it all?" he questioned, stumbling over his words like he sometimes tripped over the ferrets when he didn't see them at his feet.

A short pause. "Uhhh, yes I think I'm okay…" the bluenette replied, his face contorting like he was trying to hold something back. He covered his eyes and suddenly shifted himself towards Cliff, smothering his face into his boyfriend's bare chest. The Klausian had hit a nerve.

"Actually, I'm not okay!" Fayt cried out of nowhere as his breathing became erratic from the tears he was holding back. "**Why** did it happen Cliff? They had just found each other again and I'm the reason the Vendeeni came here and we had to fight them in the battlefield where Dion got hurt. It haunts me every day Cliff. And they aren't the only ones...I've seen so many people die right before my eyes…"

The blond was initially going to say it wasn't Fayt's fault, but he always said that and he figured it was slowly sinking in anyways. "Fayt, of course yer gonna be sad after something like that. I think yer takin' it really well, yer very strong, you know that. Shit happens. We have to move on but it's not easy. Ya need time to grieve and we've just been goin' and goin' nonstop on this mission."

Cliff began to run his fingers through Fayt's hair, staring into those moist green eyes — those **scared** eyes, those **lost** eyes. "Fayt, I know what it feels like. I'm still haunted by my dad's car accident. At first it was such a relief...can ya believe it? That's what I actually felt...to be free of his rage...my mom would be able to sleep at night. I was young though…"

The Klausian brought his hands behind his head and gazed back at the ceiling. He felt a warm teardrop settle between his pecs. "But it didn't hit me until years later. When ya lose someone you love ya feel this big empty space. Ya wonder if you knew it was comin', would ya have done things differently...you almost feel guilty for not preventing them from getting into that car...time warps from that day on, it dulls the pain but it never goes away...things start to not matter anymore...but still we go on, y'know? You expect too much of people around ya when yer the one that needs to take control. I feel this endless need to wander, to search...and I've been doin' that ever since I left Klaus..."

"Thanks Cliff, I feel better now," the bluenette chimed in. "I'll get through all this with you by my side."

"Well, we better get up and go eat."

Fayt wrapped his arms around Cliff so they were lying stomach to stomach. "No wait! Hold me just a little longer…" The bluenette closed his eyes and listened to the comforting beat of Cliff's heart.

Relaxing his muscles and exhaling deeply, the blond lay his hands lovingly over Fayt's back and turned his head to the side, trying to shake the eerie ending to his dream from his thoughts.

_Lying close to you feeling your heart beating  
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming  
Wondering if it's me you're seeing  
And then I kiss your eyes  
And thank god we're together  
I just wanna stay with you in this moment forever  
Forever and ever_

_I don't wanna close my eyes  
I don't wanna fall asleep  
Cause I'd miss you baby  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream will never do  
I'd still miss you baby  
And I don't wanna miss a thing_

_- Aerosmith 'I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing' (1st verse Cliff's perspective, 2nd verse & chorus Fayt's)_

--

"Send out the secret police. I want him contained now. The ceremony preparations are almost complete."

"Yes, sire."

"You may also open the main gate once he is captured. Don't let me down, Darien. The resistance is on the move, we must act quickly."

--

Nel's crimson hair flashed fiercely in the thin rays of light from the surrounding windows as she scampered down the aisle between the pews towards the diary. _Might as well check this place again, maybe they missed something in the book_, she mused. Glancing left and right, she opened the diary and scanned through it. _Okay, blah blah blah, never give up, blah blah blah_. She turned to the blank page Fayt had stopped on. She continued flipping. _AHA! There's more. The writing is different though, I wonder if this was added later...New Testament?...anyways let's see here. By pleasing the prophet who envisioned our future, he will save us and restore glory to Granada immediately without the time needed for the two lineages to carry out the task. In order to do this, the descendant saint who arrives with the markings on his neck must be…_

"**WHAT!**" Nel screamed out loud, her voice bouncing back to her from all four walls. A pigeon sitting in one of the window sills flew away in fright. _NO! I must warn them…_

She shot out of the room like a bolt of lightning, racing to find Cliff and Fayt out on their morning stroll.

--

Fayt and Cliff were walking in Granada's shining streets making their way to the shopping plaza to buy some items (especially blackberries for Cliff). The sun was high in the sky and the air was muggy as it always was in this region between the jungle and the sea. Oodles of Greetoners were out and about, trading, working, playing, doing whatever they had to do. Every once in a while one of them would descend from the sky and land nearby, briefly surprising Fayt by appearing out of nowhere. Cliff was walking a few steps behind him.

"Hey Cliff, don't you wish you had wings?"

"Hmmm...I dunno, kid. Would kinda get in the way when we're making love…"

Fayt's laugh drew the stares of people around them. "Well what about…"

He heard a faint muffled cry and turned to look at Cliff. **Cliff was gone**.

Suddenly Fayt was young again, alone and scared, all by himself in a busy shopping centre, having lost his mom in the crowd. He snapped back to the present. "CLIFF! CLIFF! Where are you?" he shouted, scanning the streets, looking for that golden covered head poking out of the hordes of people. He started panicking. He rushed this way and that, searching, hoping. He finally collapsed on the ground, an aching feeling seeping through his body as people rushed by, no one noticing. He thought of his dark dreams (omens?). His arms were going numb. Then somebody rested a hand on his shoulder.

"They took him," a voice said, the person's white hair dangling down in Fayt's line of vision.

**OMG! TO BE CONTINUED!**

(A/N: uh oh. i hope you enjoyed the classroom scene :D betcha were a little shocked there. like wtf? why is he all the sudden in school? haha. is this what you're gonna major in? lol. and so the sad part begins...)

Update: Spectralwings, one of my amazing reviewers, has drawn a lovely picture of Cliff and Fayt for this chapter, so check out my profile page to see it!


	17. Chapter 17: Fayt's Terrible Dilemma

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt

Rating: PG-13

**Summary**: Nel breaks the sad news to Fayt about what Lord Arzem is hiding and the resistance movement makes contact with them. We check in on how Cliff is faring and discover something bad about those walls that surround Granada. Sophia tries to cheer up Fayt with a humourous story about her snooping around where she shouldn't be. We end with Fayt facing a terrible dilemma...

Shout Outs - _**Zel**_: I'm not getting any PM's thru FF net so just e-mail me directly. Anyways thats so funny you have an oral exam! I'm so glad my scene with schoolgirl Fayt and Teacher Cliff will spice up your Spanish :D You know i don't know where my characterization for Arzem comes from. I think i may be subconsciously writing him as a collection of the bad things about people i know (cough mom and stepdad cough). Hahaha no its not Sephiroth :D I can see how she got that though. I mean how many people have white hair...btw i cant believe how much coursework you have! **Spectral:** YAY! YOUR BACK! Isn't Albel and Cliff great? In a humourous sort of way :D I'm assuming that you died alot by an enemy casting Ultima on you in FFX-2 :D ive always liked it cuz its the strongest magic...of course only when i have it and not the bad guys :D If you find the time could you review chapter 12 and/or ch 14? I'm proudest of those and i want to know what you think. Oh ya! Send me that Fayt pic u drew! My e-mail is in my profile at the bottom. Did you like Fayt in his uniform in ch 16? **Mister Cat: **Thanks for adding my story to your favourites!

**Chapter 17:**

Fayt looked up glumly at the person who had spoken to him. His eyes met the concerned gaze of a handsome young man with short snowy white hair, long sideburns, and a strange patch of black hair on the back of his head. He couldn't have been more than a few years older than Fayt. He wore a light vest, also black, with a tantalizingly deep V-neck opening that showed off his lean chest. It looked like there was a dog collar around his neck and he also had a necklace that resembled little bones strung together with a half-moon pendent in the middle. Fayt finally noticed that Nel was standing right behind this mysterious man.

"I'm Haru," the stranger announced, offering the bluenette a hand to help him up off the ground. "I've been trying to find you, but it looks like I'm a bit too late."

Fayt was surprised about what came out of his mouth next, but you can't blame him considering he was a mishmash of emotions from just losing Cliff. "Your name's Haru? **That's a funny name**," he blurted out, feeling rather light-headed.

Haru simply smirked, crossing his arms. "Ummm, you do know your name is Fayt right?"

Nel couldn't help but chuckle briefly before biting her tongue.

"Shut up, it's not like I got to choose it," the bluenette said sternly, his patience oozing out of him like the sweat from the pores on his temples.

The white-haired man ignored Fayt's blabbering. "Anyways, I'm the leader of the resistance movement here in Granada against the rule of Lord Arzem and the whole monarchy in general. We got word of your group's arrival and we've been secretly following you, but we couldn't get close to you since you spent so much time in the palace. One of my spies notified me about your morning stroll and I went out to search for you...but **I get lost easily** and I ended up on that path to the lookout on the other side of town."

Fayt stared at Haru with a raised eyebrow as the sun's rays beat down on him.

The stranger continued: "I was hoping to get to you before they snatched Cliff away…" he muttered, his voice trailing off as he caught sight of a cute toddler running to her parents after snatching an apple from a fruit stand.

The bluenette suddenly felt embarrassed. "You didn't happen to follow us to a school did you?"

"Yes, we did, but we didn't go inside. We didn't spy on you if that's what you mean. I like schoolgirl uniforms too, if that makes you feel better..."

Fayt was unsure of whether to trust this man — he had clearly been too liberal with his trust in this city — but he still felt relieved anyway. Nel finally cut through the thick, awkward haze hanging between the two men with a flip of her dagger-like tongue.

"Oh! Fayt, I have to tell you the whole reason we're here in the first place. I bumped into this man on the way from the temple — he already knows so much about us and our situation. But more importantly, I found out what Lord Arzem is hiding from us."

The bluenette's eyes widened and he inhaled deeply through his nose, catching the delectable aroma of freshly baked cinnamon buns from a shop nearby. He knew whatever it was, it wasn't gonna be good. _Please say it's not about Cliff, please say it's not about Cliff, _he hoped rather naively to himself.

Nel didn't waste any time getting to the point. "**They're going to kill him**. I found another section in that diary in the temple that suggests there is a quicker way to prevent this predicted invasion from another universe. It says that the saint with the neck markings must be sacrificed to the god who wrote the diary. Apparently this will please him and he will fix all their problems."

A blood-red image of him and Cliff lying in their meadow flashed through his mind as Fayt brought his hand to his suddenly throbbing forehead. _This has to be a misunderstanding, she didn't say __**sacrifice**__ did she? _But the frightened look on Nel's face said it all. He felt like running away, from all the bustle of Granada, to hide somewhere where no one could find him. This was a hundred times worse than when Clair kissed Cliff, yet he just felt numb in response, unable to feel after all the awful things that had happened to him on this adventure. But then it came — he felt something overpowering building up in his chest, like a geyser preparing to explode and looking for a way out.

"**FUUUCCCKKK!**" Fayt screamed at the top of his lungs, releasing all his pent up frustration as he slumped to the ground, hanging his head in sorrow. People passing by stared at him shaking their heads. "Why does this always happen to ME! What have I done to deserve this? Everyone around me is dying! They can't kill Cliff, he's the only one I have now...I don't even know if my parents are alive!"

"Language Fayt," Nel replied impulsively, feeling incredibly sorry for him but unable to express it.

Haru bent down to look Fayt straight in the eye while rubbing his ears since the bluenette's bloodcurdling curse was still echoing within them. "Hey there, snap out of it! Don't worry, we'll figure it out. You have the entire Granada resistance movement on your side now. We don't believe any of that crap in the diary. I betcha anything Arzem wrote that last section himself to rally the people around him. No one deserves to die that way. Especially not for that bastard."

"...I guess you're right. We can't give up, we'll find a way. But what do we do now?" Fayt asked, wiping away a tenacious tear from the curve of his cheek.

"Go back to the palace and get the other members of your team. Then come meet me at the resistance's hideout at the mansion beside the school. You can't miss it. Arzem thinks you're clueless so I don't think he'll treat you any differently as long as you don't threaten him. **Moo**...that's what I think about this whole situation."

The bluenette looked at Haru curiously as the latter stood back up. "Did you just moo? What are you a cow or something?"

"Fayt! What's your problem?! He's trying to help us," Nel piped in, not having heard the odd utterance (udderance?).

"No comment," Haru responded quietly before disappearing into the masses of people in the shopping square.

"I don't know about him, Nel," Fayt questioned, as he hoisted himself up. "He seems kinda strange...But then again when has **that** ever stopped us from making friends with someone?"

Nel smiled warmly at him, tucking her chin into the high collar of her shirt. "Good point. I hope you're referring to Albel and not me though."

-------------------------------------------

Cliff sat all alone on the icy stone floor of a prison cell, both of his ankles clamped to giant iron balls. He was in the backside of the courthouse, a place where 'justice' — as Lord Arzem saw fit — was doled out. It was a dreary atmosphere, dark and damp except for a tiny slit of a window on the left wall that teased Cliff with an unreachable freedom, the bright light from outside both mocking him and giving him a slim shred of hope that he would soon escape into its radiance. The dungeon smelled rancid, like the rotting corpses of a hundred rats, which perhaps wasn't too far from the truth. Contrasting sharply with this misery was the lunch laid out on a platter in front of him made from the finest food in all of Granada, straight from the palace's kitchens. He was a lord after all. He deserved only the best.

It wasn't like Cliff couldn't handle the unpleasantness of imprisonment. _Been there, done that_, he thought. It was the tedious **boredom** that really got to him. He was sitting with his legs stretched out, so to amuse himself he tried — without bending his legs — to reach his feet with his hands. Extending his back as much as possible, there was still a small gap between his fingers and his toes. He sighed and leaned back against the wall, tapping his hands on his legs to a tune in his head. Suddenly, he had an uncontrollable urge to sing.

"_All by myself, don't wanna be all by myself, anymore…_" he droned on in a sad but alluring tone, his deep voice echoing through the dim hallways. "_Hard to be sure, sometimes I feel so insecure…_" He paused and started grinning to himself. _Who writes these songs anyways?_ Klausians never felt insecure. It was their nature. The only time Cliff had ever felt insecure was after Fayt confessed his love to him in Peterny. But that quickly passed and blossomed into something wonderful. So those few minutes of vulnerability were all worth it.

The blond finally had a shot of inspiration by thinking about Fayt. _ULTIMA! _his mind screamed. "Of course," he said out loud. Braedon had given it to him for a situation like this. Feeling a sudden warmth flow through him, the Klausian stood up as the chains on his feet rattled over the floor. _I hope I can focus this properly_, he mused. _I don't wanna blow up the whole place_. Closing his eyes and concentrating as hard as he could, Cliff filled his lungs with air and held it. Reaching out his right hand, he began to summon the magic with his mind, trying to contain its power to destroy only the cell door. The room suddenly became darker than it already was, a blackness only found in the depths of the ocean. The light from the tiny window vanished. The cell bars began to vibrate violently as a violet energy gathered around the doorframe and a rune symbol materialized in the air in front of his palm.

Suddenly, the magic sparked and fizzled as the light from the torches returned to the room and Cliff was propelled backwards towards the wall.

A high and mighty laugh came from a guard down the hall. "You can't use magic in Granada prisoner. I thought you would have already figured that out. The city is surrounded by ramparts made from magicite rock that is only found in this region. It cancels out all attack spells. Looks like you're stuck, Lord Cliff."

That last address really riled the blond. The guard had said it in such a ridiculing tone, clearly enjoying the fact that Cliff wasn't being treated like a lord at all. 'Scum' was probably what the asshole really meant. The Klausian slumped down against the wall and smashed his fist into the floor in anger. "Owww!" he roared, not caring if anyone heard him. He sucked on his oozing knuckles to soothe the pain and eyed his feet again, determined to reach them before the day was over.

-------------------------------------------

"M'lord, I just walked past Fayt's room and he looked rather miserable. Guess I was right about him being close to Lord Cliff. Are you sure this whole sacrificial ceremony will swell your support among the people?"

"Yes, Darien it will. They have been brought up on the scriptures, even if we may have 'tampered' with some of them. It is not something so easily cast aside. He is their saviour — just look at the response his arrival has caused! They believe, with all their hearts, that this sacrifice will ensure Granada's eternal greatness and protection. I tell you, religion will always win against the blasphemy of the resistance. Of course...there is always another foolproof way to rally the people around their leader...maybe I should let Fayt make that decision, no? I'm not completely unsympathetic to his plight...hahaha..."

"What are you talking about sir?"

-------------------------------------------

Fayt was back in his room, sitting cross-legged by himself on the large bed. He slowly ran his hand in an arc along the velvety sheets, feeling the place where Cliff usually slept. _It almost feels warm…_ He stuffed his face into the pillow beside him, trying to tease out any lasting aroma of his lover. Suddenly Coco and Loco jumped onto the bed and started pawing at the bluenette's side, sensing something was wrong. Nel was out finding the others as Fayt had asked for some time alone before heading out to meet Haru again.

Coco slipped into his lap and he stroked her affectionately, closing his eyes to think about the situation at hand. _First we have to find where they are keeping him…even then how will we get him out? This is insane. If I really have a visionary ancestor I could use her help right about now. Boy do I ever miss him..._

Sophia sauntered through the partially open door and plopped down on the bed beside Fayt, interrupting his reflections. Loco began rubbing against her thigh, using it to itch himself. Sophia lay a hand over Fayt's back and he turned to look into her gentle, caring eyes.

"Awww Fayt, I'm so sorry. I can't believe they just took him like that, in broad daylight, right in the middle of the shopping square! Those stupid Greetoners. They did the exact same thing to me in Arias." She clenched her fist and her arm starting shaking. "Where is that Lord Arzem? When I get my hands on him…I'll find a toilet, some Brussel sprouts and then..."

"No, Sophia you mustn't. Arzem doesn't know that we know what's really going on. We can't attack him, it will only make things worse. We'll work in secret with the resistance to get Cliff back."

Sophia reached over and brushed Fayt's bangs out of his face, noticing a gathering redness under his eyes. "**So you're saying he doesn't know that we know what he knows?** ...Owww!" she exclaimed suddenly as Loco bit her in the thigh.

The bluenette sat silently making a face like he was constipated as he tried to run what Sophia had said through his mind to see if it made any sense. "…Yes. And he bit you because you were ignoring him."

"Oh, oops," she replied, patting Loco on the back while giving him the evil eye. "Well he's trying to give me fleas. Anyhow, don't worry Fayt. We'll get Cliff back before they do anything to him. It's not like he'd go easy right? He'd fight to the very end for the chance to see you again, I know it."

"Thanks Sophia," the bluenette responded, giving her a quick hug. "I just can't let the last words he ever spoke to me be: '_Hmmm...I dunno, kid. Would kinda get in the way when we're making love'_."

Sophia scrunched her nose up as her jaw inched downwards like a snake readying to devour a rodent. "Ummm, what were you talking about anyway? ...Okay, never mind I don't want to know. Well do you wanna know my last memory of Cliff? It's way worse than yours. I need to see him again so that doesn't become the last thing that ever happens between us."

"I guess...sure tell me what happened this morning between you two," he answered, resting his chin in his palm.

-------------------------------------------

_**Flashback to the morning, before Fayt and Cliff went on their ill-fated stroll…**_

Wandering down the hallway, Sophia noticed that the door to Cliff and Fayt's room was open a crack. She tiptoed to the door as quietly as a bunny and peeked into the room. There was no one there.

Just a few moments ago, Maria had dared Sophia to sneak into their room and steal some aquaberries from Cliff's travelling bag. Sophia had accidentally brushed against a poisonous bush in one of the parks in Granada and since she was all out of the berries, Maria the cheapskate decided that it was better to snatch some from Cliff rather than buy more from the marketplace.

Sophia crept into the room, closing the door behind her, and gingerly reached into the bag beside the bed. She suddenly heard a noise coming from the bathroom and her eyes froze on the handle of the door as it started turning in a circle. Seeing no other choice, Sophia flung herself onto the bed and hid under the covers, hoping she wouldn't be caught red-handed. Cliff strode out of the bathroom, **buck-naked**, whistling to himself and drying out his hair with a towel. Sophia could feel the leftover steam from the shower floating into the room and tickling her under the sheets. _Oh god, oh god, I'm screwed, how am I going to get out of this? Why didn't I check if anyone was in there first?!_

Cliff headed straight for his clothes which were strewn on the floor beside the bed. Mentally noting the lumpiness of the sheets, he simply thought that they were rumpled up all funny. Sophia could hear him coming nearer...until he was standing with his back towards her curled up body, about to sit down on the bed to get dressed! Cliff began leaning backwards, his hot, beefy ass lowering closer and closer to Sophia's head under the blankets...**SMOOSH!** Cliff finally sat down on the rather lumpy bed, his butt smothering into Sophia's face, only separated by a thin sheet.

"AHHHHH!!! **GROSS!**" Sophia screeched, pushing him away with both hands and getting all tangled up in the covers.

"What the hell?!" Cliff roared, jumping back up. "Sca-ree! There's a ghost in my bed!"

Sophia found her way out of the blankets and her skin flushed scarlet as she sat there, meeting Cliff's bewildered gaze. Now most people would use their towel to cover themselves up in this situation. The Klausian couldn't care less. Sophia quickly covered her eyes with one hand and tilted her head downwards.

"SOPHIA! Whaddaya doin' in here, hiding in our bed of all places?!" Cliff bellowed, nonchalantly scratching where her nose had uncomfortably indented into his buttcheek.

Sweat was starting to pour out of Sophia's skin and her heart raced like someone being chased by Nel after touching her ass without permission. "I...I…" she managed, her eyes filling with tears. She began to weep quietly, embarrassed beyond belief from being caught and also since the blond had no clothes on.

Cliff crossed his arms and stood silently, waiting for her to calm down. "Sophia, its okay. Don't worry 'bout it. Actually, I feel kinda sorry for ya…" he snickered, his nipples sticking out nicely from leaving the warmth of the bathroom.

Just then Fayt walked into the room and immediately halted in his tracks. He was carrying a bottle of hair gel in one hand he had borrowed from Albel since Cliff had run out. His eyes scrunched up and he pointed first to Sophia then to Cliff before mouthing 'What?' and spinning around to march straight out of the room. "I don't even want to know…" he muttered, nearly smashing into the door on the way out.

-------------------------------------------

"So that's what really happened, Fayt," Sophia explained. "I finally told Cliff about the dare and then raced out of the room before he could respond."

The story had lightened up Fayt's otherwise somber mood and his cheeks were sore from laughing. Sophia changed the subject, not allowing Fayt to give a snotty response to her unfortunate circumstances.

"Fayt, did you notice that we can't use magic here? Healing is about the only symbology that works. Mirage and Maria think that is really strange…"

"What?" he replied, surprised they hadn't noticed this earlier. He outstretched one palm and summoned a fire spell. A round ball of flames began to grow but quickly sputtered and disappeared.

"Good thing that didn't work. Otherwise I would have thrown it at you for sneaking into our room," the bluenette joked. Sophia pretended she was going to cry before playfully shoving him off the bed.

-------------------------------------------

The entire crew — which included Fayt, Sophia, Albel, Maria, Mirage, and Nel — were only a few footsteps outside the palace on their way to see Haru when they noticed a great hullabaloo in one corner of the Freedom Square. Unmistakably Granada's largest piazza, the square was surrounded by three important buildings: the royal palace, the temple, and the army's headquarters. Over by the entrance to the temple, the group could see a gathering of Greetoners surrounding what looked like Lord Arzem...Fayt saw a flash of golden hair behind him and a group of soldiers…_Could it be?_

The bluenette instinctively bolted off before anyone else knew what was happening. "It's him," Mirage told the others, her Klausian eyes easily making out Cliff in the distance. They all sprinted after Fayt.

Fayt's mind was spinning as he raced towards his target in the distance. The people scattered around the plaza became a blur as he weaved back and forth between them — through an obstacle course that never seemed to end. He finally arrived at the gathering and noticed right away that Cliff's eyes were following his every move. Arzem shooed the smitten spectators away when he saw Fayt, leaving some members of the royal court and a handful of guards as the only barrier between the bluenette and his lover.

"**CLIFF!**" the bluenette screamed in a long, sorrowful tone.

"Ahhh, just who I was looking for," Arzem declared loudly, his voice laced with an air of pomposity.

Unable to hold himself back, Cliff abruptly turned on the guards around him and began kicking at them since his wrists were handcuffed behind his back. After knocking a few of them out, a swarm of guards ran out of the temple and eventually subdued him. Lord Arzem's laugh echoed across the square.

"C'mon ya lowlife, just one hug…" the blond pleaded to Arzem, gazing at Fayt as the ocean longs for the tidal touch of the moon.

"Now, now, we'll see what Fayt has to say about that. I'm here to give you a choice young one. I know what it's like to have your love torn away from you, plus there's something else I have been dying to do all these years. So answer this: Either I sacrifice Cliff as the scripture commands, or you can have him back and instead I will order a full scale attack on Aquaria and Airyglyph. So what would you have me do?" Arzem taunted, one hand raised and ready to give the order.

The rest of the crew hurled insults at the ruler while Fayt wrapped his mind around the dilemma presented to him — all the time trying to suppress his rising emotions. _No! What kind of choice is that? I want him back...I want him with all my heart. We were meant to be together...I'm nothing without him...WHY SHOULDN'T I BE ABLE TO HAVE HIM BACK?! Because...so many people will die...I can't have anymore people dying around me, especially all those I've met on our journey across this world…Still, what if he was right? Maybe I should just choose him and we'll leave this backwater planet since we shouldn't even be involved in their affairs…But no...I could never live with myself being that selfish...my happiness for thousands of lives...people with dreams and aspirations…_

Lord Arzem's voice yanked Fayt out of his daydreams. The latter hadn't said a word in almost a minute. "Well, I guess you can't decide then. **I'll make the decision for you**." With that, Arzem ordered the guards to drag Cliff back to the jail and he turned around to march back into the temple, calling behind him with a wave of his hand: "Good choice Fayt! Tomorrow evening you may watch the sacrificial ceremony in the Plaza of Life and Death outside the courthouse and say your farewells. Don't be late."

Overflowing with a wrath that brought his blood to a boil as it screamed through his veins, Fayt started stomping towards Arzem with his sword drawn — his arms were shaking uncontrollably and in his eyes was a thunderstorm of hatred, the electricity pulsing through the folds of his emerald irises. Albel grabbed him and held him back as he fought to break free. "Only an idiot would attack him now, Leingod. We are totally outnumbered. We must wait for the opportune moment...his time will come."

**NO WAY!!! TO BE CONTINUED!**

(A/N: I had a lot of trouble writing the last part of this chapter. im not sure why. cuz i wanted to convey it right and because the idea of fake choice hits close to home. so ya Haru makes an appearance in my story! lol i couldn't resist bringing him in. Moo)


	18. Chapter 18: Leingod Loses It

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt

Rating: PG-13

**Summary**: Fayt's not doing so good as the reality of the situation hits him hard: Cliff is scheduled to be sacrified tonight. In an interesting turn of events, Albel decides to take things into his own hands to help Fayt out (he has his own reasons too). Haru shows up, an old friend arrives, and with time winding down Fayt finally loses it...

Shout Outs - _**Zel (aka Faris)**_: Haha our white haired mystery man makes his appearance! its funny cuz Haru liked Momiji in a girl's school uniform so apparently he also likes Fayt in one too :D that fit in well. maybe the resistance isnt doing so well cuz their leader gets lost all the time :D Thanks for the kind words about the end of last chapter! I'm happy how it turned out now. I really hope they update the SO3 manga! im really interested to see how they deal with our couple. Lol thats so funny about your friend's telescope message. **Spectral: **Enjoy the chapter!

**Chapter 18:**

_And the sun was wondering if it should, stay away for a day, till the feeling went away..._

Immersed in the relaxing reaches of a dream, Fayt was piloting the Eagle with Cliff by his side as they blasted through the aqueducts of Airyglyph looking for the blond's home planet. It was like some kind of marathon course since their friends were standing at forks in the underground system and pointing them in the right direction. Up ahead the bluenette saw deep space at the end of a tunnel and a beautiful planet orbiting through the beam of twin suns, the yellow light exploding in all directions as it danced along the long, thin clouds encircling the equator. He glanced at Cliff and noticed a plethora of stars reflecting off his eyes — his pupils were mirroring the planet's two moons, each surrounded by blue rings of ice and rock. _Almost there…_

Reality grabbed him by the shoulders and abruptly pulled him up and out of his dream — the rustling of Coco and Loco by his feet had unwillingly ended his slumber. He slowly opened his eyes and stared at his watch on the bedside table. It was blurry so he blinked a few times until the fuzzy outline sharpened into numbers. _8:44 am. Ugh_. He closed his eyes again and weakly willed his body to rise. A ghost was lying over him, pressing him into the bed. The dreariness from the clouds outside seeped through the window and into his skin, suppressing all desire to move. Maybe he could just sleep through the whole day.

Fayt had truly grasped the gravity of the situation after Lord Arzem had offered that fraudulent ultimatum over Cliff's fate. Things seemed pretty hopeless to him at this point, as he lay all alone in the early morning when depression held its victim in the tightest grip. Sometimes he secretly longed for a way out, a quick escape from the pain and injustice permeating his very existence. He stretched an arm out to the place where Cliff should have been, ocean water dripping from the edges of his eyes as the richness of his soul trickled away with every diamond tear lost to the sheets below. _Why do all good things come to an end…?_

He managed to sit up on the side of the bed and look into the mirror across the room. He quickly turned away, disgusted. Soon Mirage and Maria came to visit him separately to try to cheer him up, the former by distracting him from the situation at hand with a funny story and the latter discussing what they should do next. Fayt half-listened through the dark barrier that hung around him while staring off into space and nodding occasionally. Mentioning something about updating Haru on what happened, Maria eventually left, meeting up with Mirage who was waiting in the hallway.

A thought surfaced in the bluenette's mind, an ancient whisper from long ago. _Don't hold it all in Fayt, find a way to express yourself_, his mom's voice advised. He stared at the pen and paper on the desk in his room. After giving his head a little itch, Fayt stood up and went over to write something..._yes, a letter to Cliff_..._not that it will ever get to him_...but he had to get his thoughts out somehow or they would devour him from within like a terrible flesh-eating disease.

_Cliff, I never knew I could feel like this  
Like I've never seen the sky before  
Want to vanish inside your kiss  
Everyday I've loved you more and more  
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing?  
Come back to me and forgive everything  
Seasons may change, winter to spring  
But I will love you, till the end of time_

And he continued on, writing the words of his heart that he knew Cliff would never read. _And even if he did, he'd be like 'What's this mushy shit?'_, Fayt mused with a tired grin. How he missed the goofball. Finishing his love note, Fayt wandered zombie-like across the room and slumped back into bed.

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_Why am I going to see him again? _Albel wondered as he sauntered unhurriedly down the hallway towards Fayt's chamber. _What the hell am I supposed to do to cheer him up anyway? I could stab my katana into his pillow and scare the shit out of him again like in Peterny... _The beginnings of a smile crept across his face as he pictured the bluenette's exceedingly shocked expression from that night. _No, I'll just tell him to get off his ass, stop moping, and get to work on finding a way to rescue the big lug… _

For Albel, life just hadn't been that exciting since Cliff had been kidnapped, though he hated to admit it. Messing around with Maria's mind — he had taken her quad scanner from her room and she had torn the place apart looking for it, so he put it back while she was in the washroom and when she found it she had seriously thought she was going crazy — just wasn't as entertaining as bickering with Fittir.

Albel arrived at Fayt's door and quietly turned the handle when he found it unlocked. He sighed and glared into the room, not looking forward to talking to his sad comrade but knowing he had to. When his eyes came to rest upon his sleeping companion, he closed the door, hesitated, and then opened it again as his mind wrestled with what action to take. Finally noticing a letter sitting on the desk beside the door, Albel's curiosity got the best of him as he snuck into the room and snatched up the piece of paper, scanning over its contents. The love note baffled him: _Why would anyone waste time writing something like this when they knew it would never get to its recipient? _

He glanced over at Fayt and studied the crunched up face. Even when asleep the kid looked distressed. A brilliant idea suddenly blossomed in Albel's mind like a newly formed four-leaf clover. This plan could solve all his pressing problems in one foul swoop. He would go on a stealth mission by himself to infiltrate the courthouse jail and rescue Fittir, delivering the letter along the way. One, it would be difficult and exhilarating, much better than the boredom of waiting around the palace. Two, he wouldn't have to worry about any of the others screwing something up or have to listen to their petty arguments over a plan of action. Three, Fayt would forever be in his debt, a bittersweet revenge for the defeat he had suffered at the hands of the bluenette. _Fourth...I know what it's like to have a loved one torn away...the feeling that everything is your fault...I hope that one day I'll be as strong as he is...so I have to help him out…_

"**Bah!**" he inadvertently blurted out loud. He spun around to see if he had woken Fayt up. The latter just snorted and rolled over. _Scratch that last part...fool's making me get all sentimental. How about a partially stealth mission...I'll just take out a few of those Arzem loving idiots...my sword has been pure of blood for too long…_

Albel folded the letter and stuffed it into his pocket as his crimson eyes flared at thought of ending the pathetic lives of those Greetoners who got in his way. _Plus, we need Fittir's brawn for the battles ahead, if not his brains. _Something brushed against his feet and disturbed his thoughts...

-------------------------------------------

"_I miss you, miss you so bad. I don't forget you, oh it's so sad. I hope you can __**hear me**__, I remember it clearly…_"

Cliff's husky singing voice filled some of the emptiness of his jail cell (Haha, he was singing Avril Lavigne - Slipped Away). He paused and contemplated some ideas for escaping on the way to his sacrificial ceremony or even during it since he clearly wasn't getting out of his cell, not without powerful magic. _You moron_, he mused to himself._ I was so distracted by this whole 'saint' thing that I didn't even bother to check whether symbology worked in Granada. Arzem had us right where he wanted us...and we were so oblivious to it all…_

The blond heard a rustling noise in a dark corner of the hallway outside his cell door. _No, it can't be! _Suddenly, a mop of distinctively coloured hair that could only belong to one person flashed in the light of the torches and Cliff's heart skipped a beat.

"ALBEL?!" he whispered loudly. "Boy am I ever glad to see you."

"Oh is that so?" the Elicoorian shot back, the words dripping off his tongue. "Resist the urge to kiss me as part of your thank you, Fittir. I'm still scarred from our last meeting."

Cliff had to cover his mouth so his laughing didn't alert the guards to his visitor's presence.

"First things first. Here's a letter Fayt wrote you; makes me sick, but you might like it." A hint of pink emerged on Albel's cheeks as he motioned Cliff to come to the bars to retrieve it.

The blond looked at him incredulously, the exact same look Albel had given him when they were stuck in the jungle. "'Bel, look at these things attached to my ankles. Does it look like I can make it over there wise guy?"

"Hmph." The Elicoorian reached into his bag and lifted something furry into the light…

Cliff's eyes lit up like stars in a darkening sky. "LOCO!"

Albel plopped the ferret onto the ground and Loco took the letter gently into his mouth. He scampered through the jail bars and bounded over to where Cliff sat before pouncing into his lap and pawing enthusiastically at his stomach. The blond picked up his pet and rubbed him affectionately against his cheek — he never thought an animal would bring him such happiness. Eventually he placed Loco back into his lap and stroked him with one hand while he lifted up the letter with the other to look at it.

"Hey, so how do ya plan to get me outta here?" Cliff asked Albel before beginning to read.

"I'm trying to figure that out right now, mag…I mean just give me a minute," he hissed, studying the bolts on the door.

The Klausian couldn't believe his rescuer had actually held back an insult. Did that mean Nox was started to like him?_ Oh god...okay just focus._ Cliff finally started reading the letter from Fayt. _What's this mushy shit? _he thought jokingly, trying to mask the true emotions that were rising with every sentence he read. ..._But I will love you, __**till the end of time**_. The tender words tugged at his heart and refused to let go as he turned his head away from Albel, the tears streaming down his face and diving to the floor by Loco's bushy tail. _Fuck, pull yourself together man! _The tingling sensation that accompanied his tears soon faded away and he wiped his face with his forearm. Having read the note, Cliff was now more determined than ever to escape his imprisonment and hold his Fayt in his arms once more, caressing that deep blue hair, those bony shoulders, kissing that supple skin while melting under the loving gaze of those green, green eyes…

"HEY! What are you doing in here?!" one of the guards down the hall shouted as he heard Albel rattling the cell door.

"Shit!" the Elicoorian exclaimed as he drew his sword. Two guards came sprinting towards him and he easily finished them off before they had a chance to speak. Albel took a second to admire his katana — the glistening blood seeped along the furrows of the engravings towards the hilt. _Much better_, he mused as he bathed in the balmy stream of adrenaline that inundated his body. He could hear more yelling down the hallway.

"Ya gotta go man, they'll send in a slew of reinforcements!" Cliff shouted to his companion. For once Albel agreed with the dumb blond. He had seen how many guards were hanging around the courthouse on his way in and although he was cunning, he would surely be overwhelmed.

"Wait a sec," the Klausian urged. He then closed his eyes and Albel watched as a violet energy pulsed from the end of his fingertips and into the letter he was holding. It began to glow the colour of lavender as Cliff stuffed it into Loco's mouth and sent him back over to Albel. "Take this back to Fayt. He might be able to do somethin' with it. Oh, and thanks for comin'...I'm impressed ya made it in here alone...give my love to Fayt…"

"...Literally?" Albel jested with a lopsided grin.

"Get outta 'ere ya jerk," the blond roared with a gesture of his hand. His visitor vanished into the shadows and a few dozen guards came rushing to see what was going on.

-------------------------------------------

"So how're you doing?"

"Hmmm...okay I guess. I feel a bit better now," Fayt replied as he studied Haru's concerned eyes.

"You know what I don't understand, Fayt? Here in Granada we have such a technologically advanced society, if not the most advanced on all of Elicoor. Yet many Greetoners seem to cling to these backward religious traditions, which include this ridiculous custom of sacrificing to this so-called 'god' who wrote the diary. Convenient for Arzem, yes, but so many people just go along with it, don't protest it. But...we seem to have reached a tipping point. Our resistance movement is growing fast but we don't yet have the power to take on the monarchy, especially with these magicite walls. If we ever take over they're the first thing to go."

The bluenette sat silently, thinking about Earth's own secular society and the small minority of religious people. "No you're absolutely right Haru. It is very strange."

The rebel leader lifted his right foot and rested it on his left knee. "We may not be able to take Arzem on directly but we can still organize a way to rescue Cliff during the ceremony tonight."

As Haru finished talking Nel, Maria, and Mirage walked into the room.

Nodding at his friends, Fayt continued: "Thanks for coming to visit me, I'm sorry I wasn't able to make it to your resistance hideout...but you know what happened along the way."

Before Haru could respond, Maria piped in: "It's probably better that we didn't make it there Fayt. You should have seen the place when we went to tell Haru what happened with Arzem."

"The meeting room was completely trashed," Nel added. They glared at Haru.

"What?" he stated coolly, as if it wasn't anything new. "So I have anger problems...who doesn't? It's difficult running our movement and coordinating everything while being constantly worried about being caught. I never actually hurt anyone…"

"Yes, but you tried to kiss me when I was talking to you," Nel complained, shaking her head. "Heh. I calmed him down though," she grinned, winking at Fayt. Haru didn't respond and tried to hide behind his snowy bangs.

Just then Sophia marched into the room with a familiar man tagging along behind her…

"**BRAEDON!**" Fayt cried, delighted to see someone he knew. He leaped up and gave him a drawn out hug. When he pulled back he noticed the leader of Wizaria wasn't wearing his Ultima necklace.

"Hello my friend, good to see you again. I ran into Miss Sophia outside on my way to engage in 'negotiation' with Granada over the fate of our village. However, it will most likely be me telling them to leave us alone or else…" he chuckled, elbowing Fayt playfully in the side. "Thanks to you."

"A lot has happened since we last saw you," Mirage began, filling Braedon in on their misfortunes since arriving in Granada.

-------------------------------------------

"Where's Albel?" Sophia inquired out of the blue as everyone (including Haru and Braedon) strode through the glassy streets towards the resistance's hideout. The morning clouds had cleared, leaving a cerulean blue sky.

Fayt froze. "Oh my god. Do you think he took my letter?"

"Well it wasn't any of us," Maria declared defensively.

Their questions were answered as they approached the Plaza of Life and Death and saw Albel racing towards them and peeling off a guard's uniform. "Here," he panted, "I...took it to Fittir...and he did something wild to it. Said...you might be able to use it somehow."

Eyes widened all around as the crew realized what he had just done. "You snuck in there all alone?" Nel asked, shocked as everyone else.

"Hmph. Easy as pie. Don't underestimate me worm, it will be your undoing." Mirage was going to point out that he hadn't managed to get Cliff back but refrained from doing so since it would only lead to ruin.

The bluenette eagerly took the glowing letter from Albel and immediately felt its magical energy surging into him, warming his exposed arms. No one noticed the purple ring of light that shot around his irises and disappeared. Fayt staggered a bit and fell onto one knee, sensing a strange power flow through him that made him feel stronger than he had **ever** felt before. Something caught his eye. Off to the left he saw a ghostly image of a man that looked like Cliff, except with dark hair..._It's the guy from my visions! The man who started all this, the prophet. He's pointing towards the courthouse over there…_

And then he heard an all too familiar voice calling out to him. _**Fayt…Hear me…**_. It was the sweetest sound — a heavenly chorus — and it stuck like honey in his mind.

_Left by the roadside all alone  
__**I turned to speak to you right there and you were gone**__  
You stood and cried and wondered why  
You can't return from where we came  
Why are we born, to fade away? _

We've never been so close to be so far  
There's millions of reasons there is no way out  
Shall we give up so easy, shall we give up so easy?

_- 'Dusting Down the Stars' by Canadian band Mobile (in Fayt's mind)_

Fayt's mind screamed bloody murder as he dug his fingernails into his palms: _NO! I WON'T GIVE UP SO EASY! _He lifted his head and glared toward the courthouse. His irises had morphed from placid emerald to blazing amethyst and a purple mist was surging in the whites of his eyes, feeding the violet fire in the middle. Up ahead he could see the finishing touches being put on the stage and the surrounding area for the sacrifice of his boyfriend. There were hundreds of guards standing in formation in the plaza — evidently Arzem was worried about an attempt to rescue Lord Cliff. The courthouse itself was a massive building with giant pillars and solid stone doors that were at least 200 feet high. They had just been closed as Albel's infiltration had put everyone on high alert.

The spirit of Cliff's ancestor whispered to him before disappearing: _Your power will suppress the magic canceling abilities of Granada's walls._ _It is your destiny_.

The rage that Fayt had experienced after Arzem's terrible dilemma returned and his entire body began to shake as his temperature rose higher and higher, causing him to break into a sweat. His heart began to pump searing hot blood through his veins and his stomach twisted and turned while even his erratic breaths became hot like a dragon's. A vivacious tingle shot up his spine and then burst outwards around his body as he felt himself being enveloped by supernatural energy. Finally, a rune symbol exploded onto his forehead and suddenly he noticed white feathers floating in the air around him.

"**HIS POWER IS MANIFESTING!**" Maria shouted to the others. "Fayt! No! You can't control it! You'll destroy the entire city!" Everyone started stepping away from him.

Fayt turned to Maria and spoke in a deep voice as his hair began flapping backwards in the gathering breeze: "I can control it Maria. Just watch me. I have someone's help. I'm not alone anymore."

Sensing the arcane realm of the symbological arts — the building blocks of the universe — within his fingertips, the bluenette flung his arms outwards with force and the rune on his forehead instantly expanded upwards to cover all of Granada in its umbrella of sorcery. The walls surrounding the city began to glow red and bolts of electricity were running along the fissures between the rocks that made up the structure.

_How many times has Cliff saved my life? It's time to return the favour. _Fayt glanced around to all his friends and smiled. They noticed that he was beginning to glow himself, a lilac radiance emanating from within him. The look of his eyes disturbed those watching, but they could still see the real Fayt beneath the surface, behind the fury that was smoldering under his eyelashes.

He spun around and began a resolute walk towards the courthouse, across the Plaza of Life and Death. With every step, the glassy street was cracking underneath him and warping upwards so that he left a small valley in his wake. He came towards the huge gathering of soldiers and they began to rush at him, their weapons drawn. Not a single one would touch him in what ensued. Coming at him in droves, they were all caught within his almighty aura and flung upwards into the sky — there was some sort of barrier protecting Fayt — and they landed across the square like a scattering of snowflakes, knocked out cold. As he approached the densest area of soldiers, the wind picked up to hurricane force and he began to use magic...and it worked!

Outstretching one hand, he summoned a lightning symbology. A dark cloud formed overhead and with a loud crash a colossal bolt of electricity shot down through him and came out of his hand in a wide arc, a myriad of high-voltage tentacles reaching out to zap everyone who got in his way. In his other hand he summoned a fire spell that sprouted without notice beneath soldiers and engulfed them in flames. Soon every single guard was lying unconscious across the plaza. The ceremony stage had been destroyed by the wicked wind.

Fayt approached the towering stone doors of the courthouse and stopped. "**ULTIMA!**" he cried, calling upon the magic Cliff had transferred to him. _Focus..._he warned himself. He cupped his hands into a sphere in front of his face so that the doors were enclosed within them as he looked past his palms. The magic began gathering in a massive orb around the entranceway as the sky dimmed and the sun was blotted out. His comrades watched in awe as the area around the courthouse darkened until all light was sucked into the spinning vortex of Ultima's black hole. The ground began to shake. The huge doors shifted and groaned. The wizardry pummeled the stone relentlessly, undoing it at the atomic level. Fayt closed his eyes and snapped his fingers. Ultima detonated outwards in an enormous halo with an orgy of purple, blue, and green as its deafening blast rumbled across the city and beyond. The doors disintegrated into a million little pieces and blew away like dust in the wind. He was in.

He ran to the jail in the back, stunning anyone who got in his way, and blew Cliff's cell door off its hinges with a wave of his hand. The all-encompassing rune symbol faded from the sky outside and Fayt's vicious glow vanished. The inferno in his eyes slowly burnt to ashes and was replaced by his natural green, albeit an extremely worried natural green. He darted over to Cliff who was slouched against the wall.

"Cliff...Cliff…" the bluenette mumbled, collapsing into his lover's lap and desperately kissing him over and over like each smooch was a refreshing gulp of water after a millennia of dehydration. After a few moments on cloud nine, he took out his sword and slashed the iron balls off the blond's ankles with the help of an ice charm. "I heard you…"

Cliff forced a wide smile and pulled the bluenette into his chest, gently brushing his cheek against his sweetie's. "I know, kid," he cooed, his eyesight blurring from the tears. "But it's too late."

Fayt's stomach dropped. "What do you mean…?" he cried, staring into the Klausian's oceany eyes and trembling as he watched them begin to freeze over.

"They poisoned me, Fayt. I guess they knew you were comin' and one of the guards put a needle in my arm while I was napping...saying somethin' about I was going to die one way or another…"

"No, no...not after all that…" the bluenette sobbed, burying his face into the blond's neck. "Everything is against us Cliff, you can't leave me now, we're supposed to be together...for always." Fayt's body floated up and down with Cliff's heavy, strained breathing and he imagined that he was out drifting on a boat over mellow waves like that day in Surferio when he had dreamt of his guardian angel. Cliff's grip around him slowly loosened...the blond's chest rose and fell...rose and fell...rose...

**:O TO BE CONTINUED! IT'S NOT OVER YET!**


	19. Chapter 19: Till Death Do Us Part?

**A Love on the Sidelines**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt

Rating: **R** for dark themes (gotta end my story with a bang, humour returns for last chapter)

**Summary**: A fantastical journey to death and beyond awaits Fayt and Cliff (with Braedon's help). In their darkest hour will their love be enough to see them through? In this journey Fayt meets two friends he has missed greatly and hence finds some closure. He even gets a lecture from Elicooria herself, but there is an accident involving Sophia, Maria, and Albel...

Shout Outs - _**Zel**_: Well you wanted to see how i wrote dark themes...but really there is light underneath it all. Ya the poem from last ch is from the movie Moulin Rouge! Unfortunately im not good enough to write something that good :D Dont be jealous :D I really wanted to try to put what depression feels like into words since i have alot of experience with it. its funny cuz i thought i went overboard with the descriptions at the end of ch18. but it is a really crazy time so i guess it fits. wow lord of the rings? im flattered! thank you so much! Im so happy and excited for my present from you! Maybe im just dumb but what is Gackts' "Vanilla"? Can't wait for mind forest and ch2 of killjoy. btw, your review was totally worth waiting for, so good. **Spectral: **Ya im shifting away from humour to make it more serious these last few chapters. What do you think?

**Chapter 19:**

As Cliff's grip loosened around him, Fayt tightened his arms around the blond while fighting back tears. His head fit seamlessly into the groove under Cliff's chin, Adam's apple tickling his ear, and he couldn't make himself look up at the Klausian's face — seeing the life draining out of his eyes would break him.

"For what it's worth, I tried...I tried to protect ya Fayt," Cliff mumbled, his speech slurring. "Till the end of time...remember? Nothing can separate us...this love...it's forever."

_Tell me that there's more  
Tell me who're worth fighting for,  
You are.  
Everything I know  
Everything that matters  
You can make this easy, believe me _

_Make me believe,  
Lie if you have to  
Stay here forever,  
Tell me this won't end.__  
__**Make me believe**  
Know that I need you  
Don't leave me alone here,  
This doesn't have to end__  
__**This doesn't have to end**_

_Waiting, frustrating,  
But I can't let you go  
I just need you to know…_

_- Song by Tupelo Honey 'Make Me Believe'_

The blond's chest rose and fell, one last time. The oceanic winds of life had ceased and the boat Fayt imagined himself floating in sunk to the bottom of the sea as tentacles of darkness eagerly grabbed at him, willing him to drown. He pushed himself away from his love and began frantically cupping the other's chin and shaking it, hoping that this wasn't really happening, that this was all a big mistake. "No, no! Cliff...Cliff...Cliff..."

His chest muscles tightened until his heart strained to beat and his lungs struggled to take in air. The blond's eyes were already closed as Fayt gave him one final kiss that was eventually broken by his intermittent sobbing. Cliff's lips were still warm but there was a tingle of coldness behind them, like the feel of a brisk breeze on a hot day in late summer that signaled it was all coming to an end. The bluenette slumped downwards on Cliff's still body and lay on his stomach, facing the tiny window on the cell wall. He could feel his power welling up inside of him and he fought back with all his might to prevent it from surfacing again.

He had a thousand thoughts swirling in his head, but at the same time, he couldn't recall any of them which ultimately left his mind blank. None of it mattered anymore. Not stopping the war on Elicoor, not the Vendeeni, not his parents, not the fact he was a weapon created for some larger purpose. The only person he had ever loved had been torn away from him, the one who had saved him, the one who had made him feel safe, supported, and **wanted**. At that moment Fayt would do anything to get him back. He missed the Klausian's voice already: "_You expect too much of people around ya when yer the one that needs to take control"_. Cliff had mentioned that during their last night together. And Fayt had taken control — he had broken through an impossible number of guards and destroyed half the courthouse without any help. What more could he do?

Without opening his eyes, Fayt heard his crewmates coming towards the cell, followed by high-pitched screams and the beginning of quiet sobs by Sophia, Mirage, Maria, and Nel. Feeling someone rest a hand on his shoulder, he cracked an eyelid and saw Braedon standing beside him.

"If you're willing to risk it all you may be able to get him back, my friend," he spoke softly.

Fayt didn't say anything so Braedon continued: "You must go to the afterlife, enter the lifestream and ask the planet to return Cliff to you."

That got the bluenette's full attention. "What are you talking about? How do you know this? How is that even possible?" he cried.

Braedon knelt down to converse face-to-face. "I've done it myself. Our tribe is closely connected to the planet and we have the ability to 'speak' with it. For as long as we have existed, the leader of our village has made one or two trips to the underworld to talk to our ancestors and to ask favours of she who has made us. The way this is done is by ingesting a special poison and then having someone give you the antidote after a certain amount of time to allow the spirit to return to the body once its tasks are complete in the underworld."

"Hmm...remarkable...are you sure this will work?" Fayt asked hesitantly, knowing it sounded crazy but genuinely trusting that Braedon was telling the truth. And right now he would do anything to get back Cliff, even if it carried the possibility of being lost from this life for good.

"It always has. The difficulty is how long to give you in the afterlife before delivering the antidote to your body and pulling you out of there. Too short a time and you will not be able to find the planet's being and talk to her. Too long and your body will be damaged and you won't be able to return. As for Cliff, I have an antidote for his poison too. Lord Arzem tried to poison some of our people before so we developed a cure. We will protect your bodies until you return."

"I'm sorry guys," Fayt said to his friends. "But that's a risk I've got to take...even if I don't make it back. Please go on without me." They all nodded solemnly. Sophia dashed over to the bluenette and gave him a hug, her eyes welling with tears.

"We'll be fine while you're gone," Haru added. "Now that you've destroyed the walls around the city we can use magic to protect ourselves. Word has already gotten out that Saint Cliff is dead and once the people of Granada see that nothing changes, that this 'New Testament' sacrifice prophecy is a sham, Arzem's last iota of support will fade."

"Tell me what it's like down there, Leingod," Albel piped in, rather interested with such matters. "It's just too bad I can't come along for the ride."

Fayt smiled weakly to everyone before asking Braedon for the fatal poison. The latter ruffled through his travelling bag before presenting a vial of black liquid and another of white liquid. Swallowing nervously, the bluenette took the black bottle and slid off Cliff and onto the ground beside him.

"We will give you half an hour at most. You must do what you need in that time. Good luck," Braedon wished, the sympathetic look in his bicoloured eyes calming the bluenette to some extent.

Grabbing Cliff's cold hand with his own and holding the vial in the other, Fayt shakily brought the poison to his lips and let it seep into his mouth and down his throat. It was warm and thick and it immediately made his stomach lurch and contract. He fell backwards onto the ground and the glass bottle slipped from his hand and rolled across the floor while Sophia looked over him with wide, terrified eyes as his body started to tremble and turn numb. The poison spread through him quickly like the warmth of a hot chocolate on a winter day, blurring his sight and causing him to crumple his face in pain.

Fayt was now perched on the edge of consciousness. Maria had come over to sit beside him and he felt her cape sweep against his fingertips. His life memories began to flash before him in a dizzying array until they paused in his and Cliff's meadow by Aquios. Suddenly he was walking leisurely through the tall grasses and wildflowers, brushing a hand along their silky crests while the sun set before him. Up ahead Cliff was standing on a little island in a pond and running his fingers through his hair before smiling and then outstretching one hand…. The image soon withered and was replaced by a bright white light as Fayt took his last gasp and left the world of the living.

-------------------------------------------

Fayt's spirit was falling, falling through the sky in a beam of white light which he soon realized was actually the sun. His clothes were flapping around everywhere and he was approaching a layer of cirrus clouds below him. He felt as light as a feather and there was no wind brushing past him as he floated downwards but instead green streams of energy spiraling like multiple tornados in the distance. As soon as he hit the clouds he splashed through what appeared to be the surface of the ocean and continued falling as everything around him darkened and he found himself unable to keep his eyes open. Plummeting at the speed of a meteor, the bluenette only slowed down within inches of what appeared to be a grassy pasture as he landed softly onto the ground, face down.

His eyes shot open and he studied the area around him. _Am I dead? _The air was saturated with a burgundy tint and **everything** around him was the same shade of purplish-red. He was clearly on the periphery of some sort of savanna since he was surrounded by coarse grasses and there were a bunch of giant boulders blocking his view on one side. In the other direction the land was scattered by cherry trees in full bloom — it was a magnificent display of blossoms and some of the trees towered over the landscape, overwhelming the senses with so many delicate flowers. Fayt finally stood up and gazed around, wondering which way to go.

He decided to climb over the rocks and see what he could find on the other side. As he scrambled up a boulder, slipping every so often, he heard the sound of a stream and the splashing of water up ahead. Then the echo of two familiar voices reached his ears; they were both joyous and cheerful, a sharp contrast to the last time he had heard them. His heart jumped in his chest and when they came into view he stopped suddenly, speechless as he saw two friends he had missed greatly playing around in a river. Ameena and Dion were together as they had always wanted.

"Ameena! Dion!"

Fayt ran down towards them, splashed into the water, and gave Ameena a huge bear hug. When he pulled away Dion stuck out a hand and he shook it vigorously, looking back and forth between them.

"Fayt! I'm so glad to see you again. Um, what are you doing here?" she asked tentatively.

"Yeah, well, uhh I kinda killed myself…"

"**WHAT?!**" Dion stammered, truly shocked.

"What about the Maiden of Irisa flower I gave you, Fayt? It's suppose to keep you safe."

"Oh ya, I still have it Ameena. There's no way I'd lose that, especially after what happened between us. I still feel guilty that I couldn't do anything to help you two…"

"Don't," Dion began. "You brought us together, and in the middle of a war, no less. We never would have found each other without your help."

"Yes, Fayt. You made my wish come true," she said glowingly. The bluenette was thrilled to hear her talk without it being punctuated by painful coughs. "And now we are together forever here in the afterlife; I couldn't imagine anything better."

_I guess that's true, _Fayt pondered. _She also made me realize that I __**could**__ make a difference in the war between Aquaria and Airyglyph when before I wanted to run away from it all. _He thought back to those stressful days in Aquios and remembered how kind and supportive Cliff had been through it all. He missed being held in the blond's calming arms in the nights before the war when he had had to make some very difficult decisions. _He really was my guiding light in the...SHIT! The time limit!_

"Well I guess I should explain to you two why I'm here in the first place," he offered.

"Was it too much for you? Did you give up?" Ameena asked. "I wouldn't think you would..."

"Oh, no no. To make a long story short, Cliff was poisoned and I came here to get him back. There's still so much I need to do but I don't think I can go on without him."

Dion crossed his arms. "You know, I knew right away you two were together when you came to the castle. It was the way he looked at you...it reminded me of how Ameena used to gaze at me when we were younger."

Fayt blushed a burgundy colour, the only colour he could in the underworld. "Do you two happen to know where the planet is? I need to talk to her and ask about getting Cliff back...I'm sorry, I don't have much time."

"Elicooria? Oh yes, she is over in that direction by the cliff," Ameena said, pointing back over the rocks and towards the cherry trees. "We saw her on our way over after talking to my parents. She's very nice. Umm, so...take care of yourself Fayt."

"You too," Fayt replied, awkward at having to leave so quickly. "I better go now." Turning to leave, he splashed some water up at his friends before bolting off as they tried to get him back. He gave a final wave before stumbling back up the boulders, his mind much relieved. He was slowly forgiving himself for the past, realizing that not everything was his fault. Ameena had recovered everyone she had lost...now it was his turn.

-------------------------------------------

Nel and Maria paced around the jail cell while Mirage and Albel rested against the wall in the hallway. Haru and Braedon were talking to each other in low voices.

"I'm going to give him the antidote now," Sophia announced, still sitting beside and watching Fayt's inanimate body. "I don't want him to be lost forever!"

"No you mustn't Sophia!" Maria and Braedon yelled at the same time. "He needs time to find Cliff and talk to the planet," he continued. "Don't worry, it's only been 15 minutes my friend."

"But...but...how will we know he is ready to come back?" she stuttered.

"We won't Miss Sophia. He knows he has half an hour and we'll just have to cure him after that time."

Sophia grabbed Fayt's hand and the rhythm of her breaths started to rise. "No! I'm giving it to him now," she declared, staring at the vial in her other hand. "I can't let my best friend die right in front of me…"

Like a gust of wind Maria and Albel surged towards Sophia and tried to wrestle the antidote away from her. "Be careful you guys," Mirage warned. Soon Nel's patience with their child-like fighting waned: "Sophia, just let them have it."

Too late. As they grabbed at each other trying to take the bottle, it fumbled out of their grasp and smashed to pieces on the hard floor. The white liquid oozed across the ground and dripped into a drain nearby.

"**NOOO!**" they all screamed in heartrending harmony.

Albel seized Sophia's shoulders and shook her around like a rag doll. "You stupid wench! Look at what you've done! This is no game..." he snapped as his voice trailed off from the lump developing in his throat. Sophia had shut her eyes and her lips were quivering uncontrollably.

Maria cupped her face in her hands as she knelt down beside him. "What do we do now?" she mumbled through her fingers.

-------------------------------------------

Having returned to the place where he had landed on the savanna, Fayt hurried towards the cliff on the other side of the cherry trees. As he passed under low-hanging branches he felt like he was moving in slow motion — his hands were brushing along the cottony soft tips of the grasses and scores of purplish-red blossoms were blowing around in a wind that Fayt still couldn't feel against his skin. In reality, he was not completely immersed in the lifestream, at least not yet. The special poison he had taken could still be immobilized to bring him back to life. _I'm a visitor..._

As he neared the cliff, he passed through a ring of trees into an open area where a woman with long, flowing hair was standing with her back to him. She was wearing a simple dress that came down to her knees and fluttered in the breeze as she gazed out over the precipice and watched the torrents of lifestream twisting upwards out of the valley while gusts of cherry blossoms disappeared over the edge. She finally turned to face Fayt and he immediately noticed her eyes were a startling deep green, a strange contrast to the burgundy of all else.

"Fayt Leingod," she spoke in an all-knowing and unhurried voice. "I think I know what brings you to the centre of Elicoor."

The bluenette felt like he needed to acknowledge her in some way so he bowed politely and walked closer. "Are you...are you 'the planet'?" he asked with eyes full of a childish wonder not seen since he was little.

She gave a slight chuckle which caught Fayt off guard. "Yes, I am the planet. I am Elicooria who has given life to everything that lives on my surface. I control life and death and I keep the balance between them stable."

_Wow_, Fayt thought. _This is incredible. I'm talking to the planet itself and slowly unravelling some of the mysteries of the universe_. _Cliff wouldn't believe this...but I guess he's already found out though._

The bluenette could feel Elicooria reaching out into his mind and he didn't try to fight it. "Cliff Fittir," she finally exclaimed, glancing past Fayt. "The bond of love I feel between you is incredible, I must say. You risked your life to come here and ask for him back, no?"

Brushing off a petal that had stuck to his nose, Fayt interlocked his fingers in front of him and said: "Yes. I did."

She came forward and rested a slender hand on his shoulder. "Normally I cannot shift the natural balance of these things...but you give me some powerful reasons why I should make an exception in this case." Taking her hand away, she turned to look upwards. "I have talked with my kindred across the galaxy and they sense the brink of an attack from another universe. So the prophecy you discovered in my city of Granada is true. Well, at least the original components."

She turned back to Fayt as lines formed under her eyes, interrupting her flawless face. "Humanoids can be so terrible sometimes. Each planet creates a dominant species to protect it and then they lose touch with us and end up harming us in the end. Can you imagine? Hurting the one who gave you life." She shook her head and her shimmering hair ebbed and rolled like waves in the gentle breeze. "I have talked with Terra. She has told me about your history."

_Terra? My history? _"OH! You mean Earth? You've talked to it?"

"Yes, I've conversed with her through the lifestream that connects us and everything. She told me stories of how she had to almost completely wipe out your species long ago in the A.D. years. Humans, her finest and most complex creation, were destroying her and her other fantastical creatures...but really they were no match for her forces of nature." At this Elicooria grinned. "It's good to see you learned from that and were able to build up your civilization again, this time respecting her."

She paused and Fayt didn't say anything as he tried to digest what he was being told. Like fatty food, it was taking a while.

"But I'm getting sidetracked here. There is one thing you must never forget: Destroying a planet is the ultimate sin, Fayt. My kindred can just barely reach through the 4-D wall and sense the intentions of the coming enemy. You are the one that can stop this madness and you are already on the path to do so. Terra is proud of your parents and what they have done. But enough of that." Elicooria began twisting an index finger around in the air and lifestream from the valley quickly floated over and swirled around it. "Hmmm...now what should I do about Cliff?"

_4-D wall? She's happy my parents experimented on me and Maria? The prophecy is true? CLIFF? _His mind was getting all jumbled up and confused until suddenly he heard the rustling of grass behind him and his psyche became crystal clear. He spun around in an instant...and there striding confidently towards him through the grass and blossoms was his true love, his whole heart, with a giant grin across his face.

_When I see your smile  
Tears run down my face, I can't replace  
And now that I'm strong I have figured out  
How this world turns cold and it breaks through my soul  
And I know I'll find deep inside me I can be the one _

I will never let you fall  
I'll stand up with you forever  
I'll be there for you through it all  
Even if saving you sends me to heaven

It's okay, it's okay, it's okay.  
Seasons are changing  
And waves are crashing  
And stars are falling all for us  
Days grow longer and nights grow shorter  
I can show you I'll be the one

_- '__**Your Guardian Angel**__' by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus_

**TO BE CONTINUED! GET READY FOR THE FINAL CHAPTER.**

(A/N: This chapter is really magical, what with Ameena/Dion and Elicooria. Ahh! i know, i killed both of them! im sorry!! i'm a little obsessed and desensitized with death. im hoping by doing this larger meaning arises (esp about love). still one more chapter! Wow i cant believe this story is almost over! I've been doing it since January! But really there were no long, developing stories of CliffxFayt out there so i needed to do this. And i already have a good idea for my next story...)


	20. Chapter 20: Into Eternity

**A Love on the Sidelines - THE LAST CHAPTER**

By: 4quintessence

Disclaimer: The characters belong to Square Enix, the fanfiction to me.

Pairing: CliffxFayt

Rating: PG-13

**Summary**: This is it folks (cries). All good things must come to an end. The antidote has been destroyed, Fayt and Cliff are still in the afterlife awaiting Elicooria's decision. Maria, Haru, and company finally have the chance to deal with Arzem and well...they're not alone in their desire to finish him off. Finally, a old incident involving Fayt resurfaces with humourous consequences...

Shout Outs - _**Zel**_: Wow, I can't believe it. I think it's just hitting me that my story is actually over. It has been so fun writing it and coming up with the plot and hearing the feedback from my readers. I feel like I put a little bit of myself into this work. Anyways, you mentioned the afterlife reminded you of the Farplane in FFX. Now that I think of it, it is familiar but i actually wasn't thinking of that when i wrote it. LOL i thought you'd like my subliminal messages about humans. haha. wow im so surprised! my story has been compared to lord of the rings and Spectral suggested it should be an anime! Now that i can sit back and read my chapters over again without being analytical and looking for mistakes i can really enjoy it and sometimes i can't believe i wrote that! I had a dream about the scene from Mind Forest of Cliff and Fayt at the lake...or maybe that was a daydream? haha. i really enjoyed your prologue. But thanks so much for continously reviewing cuz without that i dont think i would have been able to keep going :D **Spectral: **Thanks so much for reviewing my first chapter! It was the spark that got me going.

**Chapter 20:**

Engulfed in a haze of emotions, Fayt dashed towards Cliff through the swirling cherry blossoms that brushed past his face. _This time, I'll never let go. You'll never leave me again, be stolen away from my precious grasp. I'll hold onto you forever_. The bluenette was so overjoyed that he didn't watch where he was placing his feet and just before reaching his boyfriend, his foot got caught in a little dip in the ground and he tripped and went ungracefully flying through the air. Strong, muscular arms caught him before he could fall — he had flown right into Cliff.

"Whoa there cowboy, you almost took me out!"

For a second, Fayt just held onto Cliff's waist before slumping to the ground and rolling onto his back. He was so tired. It had just hit him. The days of no sleep mixed with the euphoria of being reacquainted with Cliff had made his legs weak and so he just lay sprawled on the ground, looking up at the blond with helpless but loving eyes.

"I almost killed myself again," he joked, his voice barely audible.

The blond laughed before reaching down to hoist Fayt to his feet. As soon as he was up he latched onto Cliff and wouldn't let go. "I can't believe it, is it really you? I came to get you, don't ever leave me again, I'm so sorry…"

The Klausian interrupted his sweetie's teary-eyed chatter by pressing a finger to his lips. "Shhh, it's okay Fayt, ya don't need to say another word. I know it all already," he said as he pressed his other hand against his heart, "It's all 'ere and it has been since that day ya said ya loved me in Peterny."

_The dream isn't over yet  
Though I often say I can't forget  
I still relive that day  
You've been there with me all the way  
I still hear you say _

"Wait for me I'll write you letters"  
I could see how you stared with your eyes to the floor  
But still I swore  
To hide the pain when I turn back the pages  
Anger might have been the answer  
What if I'd hung my head and said that I couldn't wait  
But now I'm strong enough to know it's not too late

_- A Song by Jade, '1000 Words'_

"By the way, thanks for the love letter," Cliff whispered into Fayt's ear. The latter looked up from the rock he was mindlessly staring at and smiled as the blond gave him a kiss on the head. "Ya came for me, that's all that matters."

Elicooria cleared her throat behind them and they both turned to face her as their collective anticipation shot through the roof over what she was going to say.

"I've made up my mind," she announced, the lifestream still twirling around her finger. "You can take Cliff back with you. He doesn't belong here anyways, there is another planet where he belongs."

"**YEAH!**" they both screamed, giving each other high-fives and hugging once again.

"You are an amazing person, Fayt," Elicooria continued, "really our only hope for the future. Giving you back the one you love is the least I can do. With him by your side, I can see you both fulfilling this prophecy like your ancestors never did."

Suddenly she broke her gaze at the couple and jerked her head upwards. "...Hmmm. Looks like your friends have had a little accident," she said softly as Cliff and Fayt painted their faces with worry. "Oh no no, it's nothing I can't fix. They seem to have, ahem, 'lost' the antidote to your poison."

Turning to Cliff, the bluenette quickly explained how he had gotten to the afterlife in the first place. The blond's eyes kept getting bigger and bigger as the tale went on and after hearing what his boyfriend had gone through, his affection points for Fayt soared even higher, if that was at all possible. "Oh snap! How're we gonna get outta here without the antidote?!" he cried.

"...Remember that all poisons are produced by materials of my creation," Elicooria chimed in. "As your friend says: Don't underestimate me, it will be your undoing." She winked at them and her chuckling broke the silence surrounding them. _What doesn't she know?_ Fayt pondered with a grin. With a graceful flick of her wrist, Elicooria sent the lifestream over to Cliff and Fayt and they found themselves inexplicably floating upwards towards the nothingness above them. The energy enveloping them was warm and tingly and reminded the bluenette of when he was lying so dangerously close to the edge of that cliff back in Arias — callous wind gusting past him — after the incident with Clair. The helixes of the twisting lifestream were utterly mesmerizing and within them he saw faces flash by mixed with the far off voices of millions of departed souls.

"Oh I forgot!" Elicooria yelled up to them. "You don't have to worry about Arzem anymore! I'll take care of him for you and bring the balance back between life and death at the same time. Come visit me again soon!"

"I think we'll have to pass on that one!" Cliff bellowed as he felt himself getting sleepy. "...But thanks very much for everything!" Fayt added before she disappeared out of sight.

-------------------------------------------

Cliff awoke with a long, deep breath. An intoxicating fragrance was seeping into his nose and rousing his sleepy senses. Flowers. A heavenly mélange. A far off memory trickled to the front of his mind of a place only he and Fayt knew of. Suddenly relaxing heat rays were soaking through his exterior and rippling across his skin in blissful waves of pleasure. His skin was drunk on the sun, happy and delirious. _It can't be…_

The blond's eyes flew open and his pupils quickly dilated in the bright light of the Elicoorian sun. He was lying on the ground, surrounded by tall green grasses and multihued wildflowers. The first thing he noticed was that the eerie burgundy colour of the afterlife was no where in sight. Laying a hand on his chest, he sighed sheer relief into the sweet smelling air. _Fayt…_ Cliff sat up and looked around. Everything around him was moist from the rainstorm that had just passed through and now the sun was shining with all its brilliance onto their meadow.

Up ahead the Klausian could see Fayt standing by a pond and staring down into the sapphire blue water, watching the cottony clouds coast by. Putting one hand on his knee, the blond lifted himself up and walked quietly through the meadow to stand behind his love. The sound of the river spilling into the lake evoked a calm like no other. Cliff wrapped his arms around the bluenette and brushed his cheek against the other's silky and seductive hair.

"Are we alive?" Fayt asked tentatively as he brought his arms up to caress the blond's hands.

The tiny hairs on the back of the bluenette's neck stood on end as Cliff grazed his lips across them and gently kissed the warm skin. "Yes Fayt, we are. Look around us...everything is teeming with life. The plants, the ocean, the trees, the bees…**you**."

Fayt detached his eyes from the undulating reflection of himself in the pond and turned to what he knew was certain. He lifted a hand and stroked it along the curve of the blond's jaw — a sweep of skin so soft a baby would be jealous. A dark memory flashed through his mind: holding Cliff's chin as he was dying in the jail cell. He pushed the thought aside. Clearly it would take much time for these deep wounds to heal. But right now all was perfect in the world. Everything as it should be.

Their eyes locked in an unbreakable gaze. Two of nature's most cherished colours, green and blue, momentarily fused as Cliff leaned in to meet the other's pouty, puckered lips. It was a fierce, possessive, and intense kiss and for a brief moment the world around them melted away into the embrace they found themselves in. As they pressed against each other, their hearts beat as one, following the rhythm of the pulsing stars that had so reminded Cliff of Fayt's eyes (Chapter 8 reference).

Savouring the lingering taste of the kiss, the couple began to walk towards the nearby beach holding hands. The rain had left the meadow blanketed with drops of water clinging to the shoots of the grasses and flowers. It was as if countless fairies had passed by and meticulously decorated the meadow's plants with sparkling beads of moisture as they slid down the stems and over the soft petals, preparing the place for Fayt and Cliff's arrival. While they strode towards the sea, the shifting angle of the sun on the droplets caused them to shimmer through all the colours of the rainbow, like little moons reflecting the splendorous light from above. This breathtaking effect spread like waves across the meadow as the richness and wonder of simply being **alive** became as clear as the crystals glittering all around them.

Fayt's communicator beeped its interruption, signaling the Diplo had found them.

_I walked across an empty land  
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand  
I felt the earth beneath my feet  
Sat by the river and it made me complete  
Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?  
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on  
So tell me when you're gonna let me in  
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin _

I came across a fallen tree  
I felt the branches of it looking at me  
_**Is this the place we used to love?  
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?**_

Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?  
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on  
So tell me when...you're gonna let me in  
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin  
And if you have a minute why don't we go  
Talk about it somewhere only we know?  
This could be the end of everything  
So why don't we go, somewhere only we know  
_**Somewhere only we know**_

_- Song by Keane 'Somewhere Only We Know'_

-------------------------------------------

Lord Arzem paced across his room fretting about a great many things. The walls surrounding Granada had been destroyed, his courthouse and the Plaza of Life and Death were in shambles, and his army was recovering from the relentless wrath of a seemingly innocent young boy. But worst of all, the people were becoming restless. They knew something was going on when the sacrifice didn't occur as planned. Nothing had changed as the prophecy had foretold, in fact things may have gotten worse now that Granada was no longer protected from the outside. Whisperings of Arzem's lies were being spread by the resistance and doubt was creeping like a plague throughout the city. What would be his next move?

He didn't have to worry about that as he would be dead in 10 seconds.

His room suddenly darkened and turned a shade of purplish-red. He stood still as the stone floor beneath him became translucent and looked as if it was spinning in a mystifying vortex. Elicooria herself emerged through the floor surrounded by blossoms and lifestream as she twisted and wrapped around Arzem and then grabbed him by his shoulders, digging her nails into his skin. Her ordinarily kind demeanor was replaced by a dark and terrifying look that sucked the colour out of her victim's face. Arzem let out a final gasp for help before he was dragged down and disappeared, no trace left behind.

-------------------------------------------

You should have heard the noise in the jail when both Fayt and Cliff's bodies vanished before their comrades' eyes. It seemed as if everyone was looking to strangle someone else. This was just too much for them and now it appeared that two of their friends were dead, one by their mistake…

The yelling stopped as soon as Marietta's voice came through the communicator on Maria's wrist.

"Captain! Are you okay? We haven't been able to get in touch with you for days!"

"Some of us are okay," she replied sadly. "The walls around Granada were disrupting our transmissions. But Fayt and Cliff are…"

"Yes, I know, it's really strange. Our scanners are picking up their location at a grassy area outside Aquios. What are they doing all the way over there?"

Everyone began cheering and bursting into celebration, hugging and fist-pumping all around.

"**He did it**," Braedon declared when it had quieted down again. He touched a hand to the painted lion on his chest and closed his eyes.

"Captain? What was all that noise about? What's going on?"

"It's okay Marietta. Everything is fine. We have some business to deal with here but we'll contact you again within the hour. Transport Cliff and Fayt up and tell them we'll be there shortly. Make sure they get a medical checkup as well.

"Roger."

"So how's the Diplo?"

"Apart from a faulty speaker in the conference room, all systems check out. Talk to you soon."

"Now then," Mirage began, "This would be a good time to finally meet up with that resistance movement of yours, Haru."

"Yes, that Lord Arzem needs to get a checkup as well...from us," Nel stated pointedly.

Haru led the way out of the courthouse and the group picked their way across the plaza — strewn with unconscious soldiers — to the main thoroughfare to the palace. The resistance movement had already gathered itself and a mass of Greetoners were marching through the streets towards the Freedom Square. Haru assumed his position at the front and the rest of the crew intermingled among the throngs of people, chatting with strangers. As the procession passed through the city, more and more people joined it as Haru proclaimed their cause on the loudspeaker and word-of-mouth spread its tendrils to all corners of Granada. The crew watched cheerfully as people played around with magic spells that had previously been completely suppressed by the monarchy (a danger to its existence). Someone summoned an ice spell that swept a cool breeze around the marchers to keep them comfortable on this hot summer day.

"Never again will a select group of privileged, wealthy people oppress the great nation of Greeton," Haru shouted through the speaker. "All of you will have a say in a new government **for** the people, **by** the people, and **of** the people. We're throwing these scumbags out to install a full fledged democracy! Granada will flourish like never before when the Freedom Square lives up to its name!"

Cheers and singing erupted in response. "...WHAT?! Arzem is gone?," Haru suddenly blurted through the loudspeaker as new information was relayed to him by a spy. "**Arzem is no more!**" An even louder cheer echoed through the streets as the crowd approached the final fork in the road to the palace. Haru turned right.

"**YOU IDIOT!**" Albel shouted at Haru as he ran up to him. "It's to the left!"

"Oops. Thanks Albel," Haru replied sheepishly.

"We're gonna go now," Maria yelled to him. "Thanks for your help! We'll come back to visit you soon."

Haru waved goodbye to them, the look on his face that of a man who's lifelong dream was coming true. _Do not worry, they cannot kill me — I am more than flesh and blood, I am an idea, and ideas never die. _

"Looks like they'll be just fine," Maria told the crew. "We're no longer needed here."

As they prepared for transport, they watched the mammoth Freedom Square fill to the brim with people while thousands of Greetoners converged on the scene by air, their red, orange, and yellow wings creating the illusion of an ominous firestorm approaching the palace.

-------------------------------------------

After a joyous reunion on the Diplo where many stories were exchanged, Fayt decided it was time to finally get back to Aquios and use Crosell to defend against the Vendeeni. As everyone made their preparations, Fayt went with Cliff to the meeting room since there was something bothering him that he had to get off his chest. Mr. Albel Nox sauntered into the room a few minutes later.

"Albel there's something I have to confess to you…" the bluenette began, leaning a hand on the table and accidentally activating the ship-wide communication system.

"Ahh, umm...did you ever wonder where we got the orichalcum from when we were in Airyglyph?" he continued as the entire crew of the Diplo now paused what they were doing and listened in interest. Of course Fayt didn't know his voice was being broadcasted since the speaker in the meeting room was broken.

Albel was leaning against the wall and his eyes narrowed infinitesimally as he listened to what the bluenette was saying. "No, I assumed you made it at the workshop…what did you do this time, worm?"

Cliff was also wondering the exact same thing and he stood with his arms crossed. Fayt had never told him about the incident with Albel during the cross-dressing adventure. "I gotta hunch this is gonna end with that katana stuck in either me or Fayt," the blond mumbled to himself. "Probably me."

Fayt ran his free hand through his hair, just above his right ear. _It's a good thing I brought Cliff to protect me from Albel. I don't think this is gonna go over well, _he mused. "Well, huh, you see we had to infiltrate some rich guy's mansion to steal it…I think you know him...he's a big fan of female escorts."

"What? Korneo? Yes, I know him, maggot. Get to the point! What is this all about?"

"Yeah, uhhh, Clifford here…" at this the bluenette gave the blond the evil eye, "...made me sneak into the house as an escort…"

"WAIT A SECOND," Albel interjected. "How could you get away with that unless you…" All of a sudden his eyes expanded like hot air balloons and blazed vermeil with understanding.

"Yes, I dressed up as a girl — a belly dancer — and, oh god, that was me that you were coming onto! I was the prostitute that came into your room, clumsily danced for you, and then stunned you silly so I could find the orichalcum!"

Albel's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, but nothing came out. The people listening to the gripping drama unfold over the comm. system inhaled with disbelief, many a hand covering gaping mouths. On the bridge it was dead silent, except for the intermittent beeping of the computer terminals.

Seeing Albel start to surreptitiously eye his katana, Fayt finally took his hand off the console that was transmitting their conversation and ducked behind Cliff, holding the Klausian in front of him like a shield. "Yo, kid! I should be the one giving you a beating for not telling me what happened in there!" the blond roared, reaching around and grabbing Fayt by the arms.

"But you already do," the bluenette whispered mischievously, "...**everyday in bed!** I can't wait for my 'beating' tonight, sexy buns."

Cliff smacked a palm to his forehead and then burst out laughing as Fayt stuck a hand down his lover's pants and squeezed his firm buttocks. Albel suddenly felt sick and decided to delay killing Fayt until later on. He walked towards the door with his head held high and it swished open before him. There, crowding around outside the door, practically the entire crew had assembled and they began tossing jokes and laughing, not just at Albel but at Fayt as well. They both turned white as ghosts.

"WHAT!? You heard us? How? Over the comm. system? Uh oh," Fayt yelped, nervously tightening his hold on Cliff (who was having quite the laugh at the whole situation).

Just at that moment, Adray came prancing by in the belly dancing outfit that he had found in the bluenette's room and consequently scorched everyone's eyes out: It was way too tight for him and all the hair showing through was rather nasty. "OH ALBEL," he teased. "Touch me, hold me, have your way with me!"

Both Albel and Fayt were intense cherry red by now and the former was reaching the pinnacle of his anger, you could practically see the steam emanating from his ears.

"We are never gonna let you forget this," Maria shouted over the racket before stunning Adray, Albel, and Fayt and ordering them to be carried off to their separate rooms for a time out.

-------------------------------------------

**Epilogue**

The Star Ocean 3 crew continued their journey to Moonbase, Styx, Arkives, Gemity, Firewall, and the Spiral Tower. Along the way Cliff loved and supported Fayt through the tough battles they faced, some of the worst being internal ones. Many a time the Klausian would find Fayt curled up in a dark corner, the dim light of his eyes telling a tale of quiet desperation and torment. The death of his father and the destruction of Earth were impossible pills to swallow and they left painful scars in his psyche. But considering what they had already been through, together they could conquer anything. Whenever Cliff found him like this he would gather Fayt into his arms and squeeze him close, numbing the hurt with gentle kisses and kind words. Likewise, Fayt's devotion for Cliff gave him the inspiration and drive he needed in his bid to lead the reorganization of the chaotic politics of the galaxy after the Luther debacle. Yes, they fought once in a while like all couples do, but more than anything they needed each other and they understood each other (having both lost their dads, for example) which gave purpose and meaning to their lives.

Before defeating Luther, Fayt destroyed the Sphere Company's headquarters in 4-D space with his power, thereby completing the prophecy in its entirety. After it was all over, their meadow on Elicoor kept calling to them so they made a pit stop there on their way to Klaus.

In the peaceful genesis of the evening, the couple made passionate love on the beach, finally carrying out what they had intended to do that night the dragon interrupted their plans. While they were relaxing in the grass and flowers under the stars, the spirits of Cliff and Fayt's ancestors appeared before them and thanked them for setting them free so they could travel to the afterlife together (Fulfilling the prophecy rescued the ancestors from their state of limbo after the botched transport from 4-D space to the Eternal Sphere; Chapter 14, 15 if you need a refresher of the 1000 year prophecy). The two ghosts then walked off and vanished into the night. As soon as they were gone, two shooting stars streaked across the sky above a smiling Fayt and Cliff, falling from the cosmos into Elicooria's welcoming embrace (Reference to Cliff's remarks about shooting stars in Chapter 8).

_Oh a thousand words  
Have never been spoken  
They'll fly to you  
They'll carry you home and back into my arms  
Suspended on silver wings _

And a thousand words  
Call out through the ages  
They'll cradle you  
Making all of the pain you feel seem far away  
They'll hold you forever

They returned to their ship and made their way to Cliff's home on Klaus. Only now it wasn't just Cliff's home, it was Fayt's as well. And it truly felt like home. Fayt's dreams were no longer about silly revenges against his dad that involved turning his hair the same cerulean blue, now they were calm, serene, being held in Cliff's warm, angelic embrace till the end of time.

**THE END**

Just a little reflection...I read in National Geographic that the iron in our bodies actually comes from exploding supernovas, so in a way **we are made of the stars**.

(A/N: So what did you think? If there's anyone out there who has been following my story and hasn't reviewed yet now's your chance to take the whole thing into consideration and give me feedback! Reviews to a story are like Mc to Donalds! lol. but i seriously want to thank those who stayed with my story and I've already mentioned some of you in my shoutouts. im so sad its over...

anywho here's something interesting for ya. In chapter 11 I made a subtle suggestion that Clair was depressed and i was actually going to continue that story line and have her commit suicide near the end of the story (i would if i had Adray as a dad)! maybe Fayt would find her in the afterlife and be like WHAT THE HELL? but i figured that was taking too much liberty with the original SO3 story cuz obviously she is there in the game after my story ends. by the way, i intended my story to take place on the sidelines starting from the first visit to Peterny up to the Vendeeni being destroyed by that weird energy pulse. basically, i add to the already rich SO3 story by including a prophecy that kinda meshes in with what's already in the game.

I was also going to do a scene with Cliff working out in a gym with Fayt but that never came about. You might see that in my next story.

Speaking of next story...It's gonna take place right after the Cliff and Fayt ending in the game. It will be a bit of a sequel to this story in some ways. I want to go through the whole falling/realizing they are in love all over again so my next story will start with Cliff and Fayt just being friends and going from there. But things that have happened in this story will spill over into the next one. Like Cliff's abusive father and his death, gaia theory, and other things I've added to the characters. Anywho, so they are in their ship heading to help form the new pangalactic congress and Fayt has an accident with his power and it destabilizes the laws of the universe...and the Star Ocean and Star Wars universes combine into one. I just watched the original 3 star wars movies again and noticed the slashiness between Luke and Han. They are very similar to Fayt and Cliff and I wouldn't be surprised if Tri-Ace & Square based them on Luke and Han. I will focus on Star Ocean obviously as my story will be posted in that section of the site.

You may want to read A Love on the Sidelines all the way through again to notice the links between chapters. There is alot of underlying meaning available for interpretation. OH YA! **Chapter 1 has been rewritten and expanded with a new scene! Check it out!**)


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